Blaze: yay! Chapter 2

Darth: yay! New chapter

Blaze: woohoo! This chapter is the second to last chapter

Darth: (pulls out blaster)

Blaze: (pulls out blaster)

Palpypie: hiya peoples

Blaze and Darth: (blasts Palpypie to bits)

Palpypie's Ghost: that was mean

Blaze: here is chapter 2 and I hope that you like it and sorry if its' that short, as for Vader not being burned, I figured it would be a good idea to have at least one story where Vader was not burned. Oh and this is going to be a short story and it's not a Vader Redemption or Dark Luke story, I'm just letting ya know that.

Imaginary Reality

Chapter 2

A Trip to Alderaan

The specter of the Force was still there, Vader cold sense him as he made his way down the hallways toward the communication chambers, he spotted Captain Piett walking to his side. "Hello Lord Vader, Emperor Palpatine wishes to speak with you," Piett said saluting.

"Yes, I know," Vader replied calmly as he made his way down the hallway and into the communication chambers before he knelt down on the knee pad and lowered his helmeted head. The larger than life holographic image of Emperor Palpatine appeared before him and Vader could sense almost immediately that Palpatine was upset.

"Lord Vader, I assumed you would contact me when the mission at Omwat was complete," Palpatine said coolly.

"I know, Master, we have as of yet to finish the mission here, the Imperial troopers are still looking for the Rebel spy that escaped here and I cannot say if they have found them yet as they have not yet contacted me. I know the spy is still on Omwat but I cannot pinpoint his location," Vader replied.

"Good, I have also sensed a slight disturbance in the Force, when you are finished at Omwat, I want you to make a trip to Alderaan and make sure that nothing out of the ordinary is happening with Senator Bail Organa. I have a feeling he may sympathetic toward the Rebel Alliance," Palpatine said.

"And you think this disturbance is somewhere at or near Alderaan?"

"Yes, I have sensed it there and I wish for you to find the source of this disturbance one you are done at Omwat, am I clear?" Palpatine said.

"Yes, my Master, I will head there as soon as we find the Rebel Spy here at Omwat," Vader said lowering his head.

"Good, Lord Vader," Palpatine replied and then he was gone, his holgraphic image flickering before vanishing and Vader slowly rose to his feet, his raspy breath seemed to quicken slightly but he managed to get it under control.

"Who was that?" the sudden sound of the Force ghost's voice caused Vader to whirl around in time to see the ghost floating behind him, the ghost's blue eyes were narrowed and it took Vader a moment to realize only his head was in the communication chambers.

"What are you doing here? I told you to stay in my chambers!" Vader snapped angrily.

"Sorry but technically I'm not out of the chambers, part of me is still in it," Luke replied with a slight shrug and he disappeared, Vader let out a long sigh that sounded like a hiss through his vocoder and he made his way out of the room. When he reentered his chambers, Luke was there, floating in and out of the pod in the center of the room.

"Stop doing that!" Vader snapped angrily and Luke poked his head out of the pod, fear crossed his gaze but he stepped out of the pod before floating over to join Vader.

"So what was that about?" he asked curiously.

"What was what about?"

"That ugly man you were speaking with."

Vader scowled behind the mask. "You would do well not to insult the Emperor to his face," he said coolly.

Luke rolled his eyes. "Yeah, well, since, apparently I'm a ghost, what can he do to me? By the way, how the blazes did this happen anyway?" he asked.

Vader shrugged as he made his way to he meditation pod. "I cannot say," he said.

"Well, neither can I, I was just trying to escape the pain my Uncle was inflicting on me and then, all of a sudden, I was here, I don't even know how I did it," Luke admitted floating into the pod as Vader took a seat in the center of the pod before narrowing his eyes as the ghost in front of him.

Now that he had a chance to examine the ghost more clearly, he noticed that the ghost looked to be only eight standard years of age, he was small and slender for his age, his hair was a sandy blonde and his eyes were a startlingly bright blue. What seemed even more strange was the bright Force presence that came off of the boy.

The boy reminded Vader slightly of his former self and he quickly pushed the dark memories to the back of his mind. He wasn't going to go back down memory lane, every time he went down memory lane, he found himself reliving the pain and the distress that had been with him for the last eight years.

Luke, as if noticing Vader was deep in thought, walked over to join him. "You know, my Uncle and Aunt always made you out to be an evil person but I don't see that in you," he said smiling, a bright smile on such an innocent face that it once again reminded Vader of who he had once been and he was lucky his mask was hiding the emotions that were flashing across his eyes, the emotions that he had been trying hard to suppress.

"Is that so? You said that your Uncle was abusing you?" Vader asked suddenly remembering what the young boy had told him earlier. He also remembered that child abuse was one of the laws that Palpatine kept into play when the Republic fell and he wanted to know who would do such a thing to such a young and innocent boy.

Vader felt a bit shocked to feel the protectiveness surge through his veins and he pushed it aside. He gazed at the ghost of the boy in front of him as he waited for Luke to reply. Luke seemed to hesitate for a while and Vader could sense the despair that he was projecting through the Force sensitivity that he was feeling from the ghost.

"Yeah, he was," Luke murmured softly. "I don't know why but he always seemed to hate me. He always hit me and he kept calling me the son of a bastard and I don't even know who my father is."

"You do not? And this uncle of yours has been beating you? When did this start happening?" Vader demanded wondering why in the world someone would break an Empi re law by beating his own nephew.

Luke shrugged. "He's been beating me for the last eight years, when I first came to him when I was little more than a few days old, from what my Aunt told me, he started drinking and he started hitting me," he said, his voice sounded really sad.

"Who is your uncle?" Vader asked.

Luke frowned. "I'm not supposed to be talking about him to anyone," he admitted.

"I need to know this if I am to find this man and deal with him, he is breaking an Empire Law by abusing a child and he must be arrested," Vader said, he wasn't about to tell the boy that he was going to kill Luke's uncle because he didn't want to scare him. But Vader felt scum like that shouldn't be allowed to live another moment.

"He's breaking a law? But why would he do that?" Luke asked his eyes were wide as he floated around the meditation pod.

"Who is your uncle?" Vader demanded not answering Luke's questions because he knew that if he answered even one of Luke's questions, a dozen more would just pour out, its' already happened once today and Vader didn't really want to answer a bunch of questions.

"Well, his name's Owen," Luke replied and Vader stiffened at the mention of his stepbrother's name and he narrowed his eyes.

"Owen?" he echoed. "Owen Lars?"

"Yeah, I thinks that's his last name anyway."

Vader felt anger go through him and he welcomed the anger that was crawling through his veins. His own stepbrother, no Anakin's, stepbrother was abusing a child and also breaking a law that was still held up by the Empire. "Where is Lars?" he demanded.

"Um, I assume he's still on Tatooine. I don't even know where I am really, well, other than here that is," Luke said.

Vader nodded before getting to his feet. "I will send someone to deal with your incompetent Uncle and bring him back here," he said. "I have to be quick as the Emperor wants me to head out toward Alderaan."

"What's Alderaan?"

"It's a planet that lies in the Mid-Rim," replied Vader.

"Oh okay, is Uncle Owen going to jail for a really long time?" Luke asked curiously as he continued to pace in the meditation pod.

"Yes, for a really long time," Vader replied calmly. "Now, if you will excuse me, will you please leave me alone for a while so that I may meditate?"

"Why? Does it have something to do with that helmet of yours?" Luke asked. "Why do you have that helmet anyway?"

The questions that poured out of Luke's mouth caused a very small smile to cross Vader's scarred features and he quickly pushed the smile away, his eyes narrowing. "Because I cannot live without it on unless I am someplace special," he replied.

"But why don't you want me here? Is this the place that you can live without that helmet? Would you die if I stayed here instead of leaving you?" Luke asked.

Vader shook his head. "I would not want a boy to see me this way," he replied calmly though, on the inside, he was still wondering why this boy was here. The Force had sent the boy to him but Vader couldn't seem to figure out what that was. But for some reason, the boy aroused a sensation Vader has not felt in a long time, a sensation of protectiveness.

Why the Force would I feel this way for a mere boy? I am a dark lord of the Sith I shouldn't be feeling this way, Vader told himself silently but, strangely, in his partially nonexistent heart, he knew it was true. He was feeling protective of this abused boy but he was also wondering why his idiot stepbrother would abuse his own nephew.

Then something that he hadn't realized sprang in his mind, Owen Lars was abusing his nephew! But Owen doesn't have any other brothers or sisters other than… Vader broke off as he gazed at the small boy in front of him. If his son had been alive, he would be this age as of now and Vader shook his head not wanting to think that way. But the truth was staring at him right in the face.

This boy was the nephew of Owen Lars, Anakin Skywalker's stepbrother.

This boy had the Force sensitivity that was only suppressed by that of Anakin Skywalker.

And this boy looked identical to Anakin Skywalker.

This boy had to be Anakin Skywalker's son and, Vader knew, that meant, this boy was his son. His son was alive! And that meant Padmé must have survived long enough to name Luke and that also meant that Palpatine lied to him.

Luke, as if sensing the anger in Vader, floated backwards a few steps. "I'm sorry," he said quickly, his voice filled with fear and Vader glanced at him, his breath quickening and he hadn't realized his posture suggested someone that was about ready to burst with anger.

"Do not be sorry, what is your full name, young one?" asked Vader after a moment of silence as he struggled to get his thoughts together. He couldn't believe what he had put together until he got the information that he required and all he needed was one name and then he could look it up on the holonet database.

"Luke Skywalker," Luke declared proudly.

Vader narrowed his eyes. "Very well," he said before he turned around in his seat to look at the navacomputer. "Will you leave me alone for a while?"

"No." Vader scowled angrily and Luke, as if sensing the anger, quickly floated backwards. "I'm sorry, I'll leave now," he said quickly his eyes were wild with fear.

Vader sighed, it wouldn't do him any good if he scared the living daylights out of the boy, especially if he wanted to get to know the boy and, perhaps, learn where he is so that he may bring the boy to his rightful place at Vader's side. "Do not be afraid of me, young one," he said finally after a few moment's of silence.

"But every time Uncle Owen got angry at me, he would hit me," Luke whimpered.

"I cannot hit you if I wanted to, you are nothing but a ghost, as I recall," Vader replied calmly. "You may stay if you'd like but I have to look up some information."

Luke, his eyes were still glittering with fear, nodded and he floated to Vader's side as he turned his helmeted gaze to the navacomputer and quickly typed in the name 'Luke Skywalker' in the information database. It wasn't long before a page appeared and Vader read quickly through it.

Name: Luke Anakin Skywalker

Age: 8 standard years

Gender: male

Birthplace: Polis Massa

Mother: Padmé Naberrie Amidala

Father: Anakin Skywalker

Siblings: unknown

Luke frowned. "I never knew my father's name was Anakin, or that my middle name was the same as my father's," he said smiling slightly.

"You don't know who your parents are?" Vader asked turning his head from the confirmation that the ghost boy in front of him was his son.

Luke shook his head. "My Aunt and Uncle never told me," he replied calmly.

Vader nodded once before standing up as the door opened and Captain Piett walked into the chambers. "My Lord?" Piett said lowering his head in greeting. Luke floated over to Piett and began floating around him, waving at him and attempting to get his attention but Piett just gazed at Vader as he waited for the dark lord to reply.

"What is it?" asked Vader.

"My Lord, we have completed the mission to Omwat, the Rebel Spy has been found and is now in custody onboard the Avenger. What are your orders?" asked Piett.

"I want a squad of Stormtroopers to leave the Executor to Tatooine and find a man named Owen Lars. Bring him back to the Executor, I also want the rest of the fleet to head out toward Alderaan," Vader ordered.

"Yes sir," Piett replied saluting.

"You are dismissed."

Piett saluted before he made his way out of the meditation chambers and Vader glanced at Luke exasperatedly. "You are lucky they cannot see or hear you," he muttered.

Luke smiled slightly. "Sorry, I just wanted to se if it was true that no one could see or hear me," he replied.

If he could, Vader would have rolled his eyes skyward but he didn't, instead he just stood there examining the boy he now knew was his son. The boy who had been abused and, possibly, killed by Vader's own stepbrother. Owen Lars is going to pay for what he did to my son, Vader thought determinably.

~*~

The appearance of the Star Destroyer in orbit around Alderaan caused panic to rise up inside of Beru. Beru was currently keeping watch over Luke with Leia at her side and she could tell there was a Star Destroyer in orbit because of the many Stormtroopers that were gathering together.

"Vader's here," Bail murmured walking into the room that had been given to Luke. "We need to get Luke to Winter's house. Winter said she'd watch over him with her mom while Vader is here."

Beru nodded before gazing at her nephew. The boy looked so peaceful, his eyes were closed, his loose sandy blonde hair was in his face and Beru absentmindedly pushed the hair out of her nephew's face. "Can he be moved?" she asked Liana.

"He is not in immediate danger so you may hurry if you wish to get him to Winter's house before Vader comes here," Liana replied.

Bail nodded before he reached forward and gently picked Luke into his arms. "Leia, run ahead and tell Winter and her mom that we are on our way," he said.

"All right, Dad," Leia replied before she hurried past Bail and made her way toward the small house that lay behind the palace at Aldera. Bail and Beru walked quickly after them with the unconscious Luke in Bail's arms.

Beru glanced up at the Alderaanian Senator. "When Vader comes here, I think he should know I'm here. Obi-Wan told me to tell him the truth about Owen but what should I say about how I got here?" she asked.

Bail smiled. "Tell him you contacted me and told me about your abusive husband and I sent someone to pick you up," he said.

Beru nodded in reply. A few minutes later, after they placed Luke in Winter's mom's care, Beru and Bail made their way onto the landing area outside of the palace at Aldera. The Imperial Shuttle landed on the ground and Stormtroopers made their way out of it when it landed.

Just behind them came Vader and Beru narrowed her eyes as she gazed at her brother in law for the first time since her mother in law, Shmi Skywalker, died. Vader had changed much in those years, Obi-Wan was right, he was more mechanical than man. He was over two meters tall and he was wearing a suit with a black mask over his face.

Bail stepped forward to greet him. "Hello Lord Vader, this is a most unexpected surprise," he said.

"The Emperor sensed something was amiss here so he went me to investigate it," Vader replied and Beru winced at the cool voice. Vader turned his helmeted gaze to Beru and for a long moment he was silent until he finally said, "Beru Lars, I am a bit surprised to find you here."

"Well, I had to come, Lord Vader, my husband was abusing me and I had to get out of there," Beru said.

Vader tipped his helmeted head to one side. "Your husband?" he echoed and Beru knew he knew she was talking about Owen Lars, his stepbrother.

"Yes, about ten years ago he started drinking and then he started beating me so I called Bail and he sent me a transport to pick me up," Beru replied.

"How did you manage to find Bail's frequency? Let alone send a transmission this far into the mid-rim from Tatooine?"

Beru shrugged, struggling to come up with a good lie. "There's this offworlder who arrived on Tatooine and he agreed to let me send a transmission from his ship when he heard my case," she lied easily.

"I see."

"Would it not be better to speak inside, my Lord?" Bail asked gesturing toward the palace.

Vader nodded once before following Bail as he led the way into the palace and Beru, uncomfortably, found herself walking side by side with the man that had once been her brother in-law. Vader was silent and Beru began to wonder what was on the dark lord's mind.

~*~

"She can't see me," Luke said sadly gazing at his aunt as he floated beside Vader deeper into the palace at Alderaan.

Vader didn't reply and Luke figured that was because he didn't want to be seen as crazy. Luke frowned slightly. "What's she doing here? And where am I? Am I even still alive? Did Owen kill me?" he said, questions pouring out of his mouth like water cascaded down from a waterfall.

Vader glanced swiftly at him, a look that Luke took as a 'shut up' glance, and he quickly clamped his mouth shut. Vader turned his gaze back to Bail who was now talking and Luke peered closely at the Senator. "Are you planning on staying long, my Lord?" he asked.

"Only a few days," Vader replied. "I must return to Coruscant soon."

"I see, I will have a room prepared for you if you so wish."

"That would suffice."

"Couldn't you at least say thank you?" Luke muttered glaring at the helmeted dark man at his side. Judging by the anger he could, somehow, feel coming off of Vader, Vader wasn't about ready to listen to a little boy's suggestions.

Bail nodded before stopping when they reached a room. "You may stay here for now, if you wish. I assure you nothing is going on against the Empire, Alderaan is still loyal to the Emperor," he said.

"I should assume so, for your sake," Vader said coolly before he nodded a sharp goodbye to Bail and Beru and slipped into the room. Luke started to follow Beru but, realizing Beru couldn't' see him, sighed and floated into the room where Vader was staying.

"She says that she was given transportation off of Tatooine and that was how she got here, I cannot say whether or not you are still alive nor as to where you are. As for Beru not seeing you, that is understandable, no one onboard the Executor could see you either," Vader said and Luke realized he had answered the questions that he had asked earlier.

Luke floated over to Vader's side as the taller man sat down. He figured because he was a ghost he wouldn't be able to sit down so he just stayed at Vader's side. "Why are you so mean to everyone?" he asked.

Vader glared at him and Luke drifted backwards a few steps and Vader let out a long hissing sigh. "I apologize," he said and Luke, a bit startled, stared at him. Vader glowered at him. "I do not apologize often so you should be thankful that you are actually receiving an apology. I do not mean to frighten you."

"Why?"

"It is a long story."

"What is?"

"I cannot tell you."

"Why not?"

"You ask too many questions, young one," Vader said though Luke noticed there was less anger in his voice. Vader continued to gaze at him before his helmeted head looked down and Luke frowned before he floated to Vader's side before placing his ghostly hand on Vader's. Vader gazed at him for a long moment but he didn't withdrew his hand.

"I wish I knew where you were," Vader murmured. "You do not deserve such ruthless treatment from that imbecile."

"Are you even sure I'm alive?" Luke asked.

Vader shook his head. "I know you are still alive, young Luke, I feel it in the Force. You are in a coma but I cannot find where you are located," he replied.

"What's a coma?"

"It means you are asleep and you may be asleep for a very long time. It would appear your uncle harmed you so much that you fell into a coma. I cannot say what happened to you after that and why Beru is here and you aren't with her but I figure Beru sent you to a place were there is better medical equipment before she came here," Vader replied.

Luke frowned. "But Beru wouldn't abandon me," he protested.

Vader look generally confused, which was an odd thing to see coming from the dark lord. "I cannot see Beru doing that either," he said.

"You know Beru?"

"Yes, I did not know her long, your father knew her longer."

"You knew my father?!" Luke exclaimed his eyes shooting wide with shock.

"Indeed I did, very well in fact," Vader replied.

"Was he a good friend of yours?"

"You could say that."

"What was he like?"

"He was a good pilot and a very good friend."

Luke smiled slightly. "I wish I knew him, he died before I was born," he murmured. He saw Vader stiffen at his side but when he glanced at him, Vader relaxed and tipped his helmeted head slightly.

"I know, I wish you had known him too," he murmured.

"Was he an Imperial?"

"You can say that."

"Why won't anyone talk about him to me?"

Vader shrugged. "I do not know," he admitted. "I cannot say why your guardians would keep information of your father a secret but I figure its' because your uncle never liked your father and maybe that is why he abused you. You reminded him of his brother and he took out his anger at his brother on you."

Luke lowered his head. "If I am still alive, will I ever see my aunt again? And what about you? If I wake up, will I ever see you again?" he asked.

"Maybe so, young Luke, maybe so."

A/n what do you think?

Blaze: yay! New chapter

Darth: This is going to be a short story?

Blaze: yup, it might be shorter than To Wish Upon a Star

Darth: really?

Blaze: really, I just hope I get some more reviews

Darth: you should put a number of reviews you want

Blaze: I would but some people get mad when I do that

Tigerstar: please review, Blaze wants at least thirty five reviews before she posts the next chapter

Blaze: (ignites lightsaber)

Tigerstar: I'm just saying what's on your mind so bleh (walks off to ThunderClan)

Blaze: (sighs) this is the second to last chapter, the next chapter is the last chapter and I know that its' short and I probably won't do a sequel