Blaze: sorry it's been over a week before I posted the Epilogue
Darth: are you doing a sequel?
Blaze: no
Darth: why not? (Whines)
Blaze: 'cause the way I'm ending this story won't allow me to do a sequel for Luke/Vader
Darth: WHY?!!!!
Blaze: DON'T YELL AT ME!
Darth: gee, sorry
Blaze: here's the epilogue and I hope that you like it, reviews are much appreciated
Imaginary Reality
Epilogue
Redemption
Approx. Sixteen Years Later…
It has been over a decade, nearly two decades since the day the Lord Darth Vader found his son. And yet Vader still looked upon that day, looked back at it and remembered it as one of the most peaceful and blissful days since he became Vader. Anakin inside of him continued to fight against him and the Anakin was winning.
Sixteen years had gone by, sixteen years filled with battle and destruction, with pain and loss and the chaotic whirlwind of emotions clouded Vader's thoughts. The destruction of the first Death Star, the duel with Luke on Bespin, orchestrated by Emperor Palpatine though it was mostly planned out.
The duel on Bespin. Vader remembered that day, it was different than Palpatine had thought it would be for Vader and Luke did not duel to the death, they talked. They spoke of their lives before they met each other. Vader spoke to his son about the life he led when he was Anakin Skywalker and Luke spoke to his father about life with his abusive uncle.
Even now, Vader felt a small cold smile crossed his scarred face as he thought about Luke's abusive uncle and exactly what Vader did to him when he returned to Coruscant. Owen had been released from the Coruscant Correctional Facility soon after Vader returned but Vader quickly took care of him, with just one quick stroke of his lightsaber.
Vader felt sorry for Beru though, his sister in law had been on Alderaan when the idiot Tarkin used the beautiful planet for targeting practice when he was attempting to learn the location of the Rebel Alliance from Princess Leia. That was the first time Vader ever set his eyes upon his son since their meeting ten years earlier. He ignored them however though he didn't regret finally taking care of Obi-Wan Kenobi that day. He knew he scarred his son for life but Luke, though he wouldn't forget it, forgave Vader, much to his shock.
The Princess Leia, Captain Han Solo, the Wookie Chewbacca, and the Ambassador Lando Calrissian were shocked by the meeting Vader had with Luke on Bespin, five years following the Battle of Yavin. Even the bounty hunter Boba Fett was shocked by this turn of events for he fully expected to get Han Solo and deliver him to Jabba the Hutt. But Vader knew that Luke was good friends with Han and the part of him that was Anakin Skywalker shied away from the thought and so events changed dramatically.
Palpatine was furious when Vader reported to him, telling him that Luke, the Princess and Captain Solo had escaped him at Bespin. Vader could tell just by the feeling in the Force though his emotions were carefully hidden from his face. Vader didn't regret letting them go, however. More or less, Anakin didn't regret letting his son, the Princess, the Wookie and the Captain go.
But now a year following the conversation he held with his son on Bespin was when things began to change rapidly. The second Death Star was being constructed though it's weapons were fully operational and Palpatine wanted Vader to bring his son to him. Vader knew that Palpatine was going to turn him and then order Luke to kill Vader.
Vader knew that Luke was too pure and too good to turn though he did have his father's impatience. Luke was strong willed and independent and Vader had a feeling those two qualities will come in handy when he does face the Emperor.
The Emperor had laid a false trap to the Alliance, signaling to them that the second Death Star, supposedly incomplete, was above the forest moon of Endor. And the Alliance sent a strike team to attempt to take out the shield generator.
Luke went with them
Vader wanted so much to tell his son to stay away from Endor, he didn't want his son to meet Palpatine but Palpatine told him to not fail him again. Vader was ordered to bring Luke before him and Vader knew that Luke knew he was there, on the forest moon. Vader was near the shield generator, within the landing bay, waiting.
He knew that Luke would come to him, Luke told him through the Force that he would come, in spite of Vader telling him, no begging him not to. Luke would still come and the part of him that was Anakin Skywalker grimaced at the thought of what Palpatine might do to his son.
As he waited for his son, he thought back on his life, more importantly, on the life he led with his wife, the beautiful Padmé Amidala. Just thinking about his beloved brought a single tear to his eye and it fell down his scarred face. He couldn't wipe it away if he wanted too because of the mask he was forced to wear.
Vader was still there. That was the only reason that Anakin was still doing the Emperor's bidding. The dark lord of the Sith Anakin had turned into was still inside of him though part of him had been destroyed when Anakin met his son for the first time, sixteen years ago.
Vader often thought back to that day on Alderaan, the day he nearly lost his son. It allowed him to continue to live and it allowed Anakin Skywalker the will to fight against the dark lord of the Sith that dominated his heart for so long.
Vader sensed his son's approach and walked over to the sliding doors just as they slide open. Luke was there, in cuffs with an imperial in front of him and two Stormtroopers on either side of him. Luke faced Vader definitely but the dark lord could sense the fear and the childlike innocence that the boy still projected through the Force.
"My Lord, this rebel surrendered to us but I believe there are more out there. He was armed only with these," the Imperial said handing Vader the hilt of two lightsabers, the first being newly made while the second was Vader's old lightsaber from when he had been a Jedi. "May I search for the rebels that may or may not be out there?"
Vader turned his helmeted gaze to the Imperial. "You may, bring whoever you find to me," he ordered.
"Yes my Lord," the Imperial said before he turned around and walked away. The Stormtroopers stood on either side of Luke until Vader waved them away and they made their way to the turbolift at the other end of the runner. Father and son gazed at each other for a long moment, silence was the only thing that existed between them.
"Father," Luke said softly.
"Son," Vader replied his voice equally as soft.
Luke gazed at him for a long moment. "Why are you still with the Empire, Father?" he asked softly. "After everything that has happened, why is it that Anakin Skywalker is still fighting against you? Are you not fighting as hard as you were when we first met?"
Vader narrowed his eyes. "Once you start down the dark path, Luke, it will forever dominate your destiny," he said.
"I don't believe that, father, and neither do you. The part of you that is Anakin Skywalker is trying to tell you that he wants to be set free," Luke said.
"You have not lost the logic that you had when we first met," Vader conceded. "But I must do what the Emperor commands of me."
"Why?"
Vader blinked, not expecting that to come from his son's lips. "Why what?" he asked.
"Why must you do what the Emperor commands of you? You didn't when he told you to bring me to him on Bespin. You didn't when the Emperor commanded you to kill me after the destruction of the first Death Star. Why must you do the Emperor's bidding now?" Luke asked softly. He stepped forward though he couldn't do much because of his bound hands so instead he stood beside Vader, a calming, bright presence in the Force.
"I…" Vader began.
"Don't answer that," Luke said. "Do you remember when we first met, sixteen years ago?"
Vader nodded once.
"The Force sent me to you to reawaken the part of you that is Anakin Skywalker, my true father. The Force brought us together but if you continue to do the bidding of the Emperor, you will only tear us apart. The Force ties us together, the bond between us that formed, unknowingly, the day we meant will break if you take me before the Emperor," Luke said softly.
Vader stayed silent.
"You told me sixteen years ago that you loved me. At first I thought you only said it to make sure I lived but now that I think about it, you told me you loved me not because you wanted me to live but because you truly meant it."
Anakin knew that his son was right though Vader was still fighting him and Anakin was fighting back. For a long moment, only silence existed between father and son. "I do love you, Luke," Anakin said softly, in spite of Vader's protests. "But there isn't much I can do about it. The Emperor wants to see you."
"Come with me."
The three sudden words caused surprise to glitter in Vader's eyes and he turned his helmeted gaze to his son as his son faced him, he was so calm and in control of himself that Anakin felt a spark of pride go through him while Vader tried his best to quench it.
"Come with me," Luke repeated. "Leave this place, leave your life with the Emperor behind you. Join me."
"The Alliance would never accept me," Vader said.
"I will accept you, is that not all that matters?"
"I…No, I'm sorry Luke," Vader whispered.
Luke stepped forward until he was next to his father. If he could, Vader knew, he would have hugged him but the binds on his hands prevented him from doing so. Vader wanted so much to hug his son right now and he glanced over his shoulder before using the Force to close the doors where the Stormtroopers were waiting.
He waved his hands again and the cuffs around Luke's wrists came off. Luke took off the cuffs before rubbing his wrists and, just as Vader had expected, he hugged him. Vader hugged Luke back and held him close for a long while.
"I can't come back to the Alliance with you, Luke," Anakin whispered while Vader scowled angrily in the back of his mind.
Luke gazed at him. "Then don't, just come with me. Leave the Empire behind and come with me. I'll leave the Alliance and we can go off someplace in the Outer Rim, not Tatooine. We won't have to deal with the Empire or the Alliance or anything, we can just be by ourselves, a family."
Vader was silent for a long moment and he reached out with the Force, searching into Luke's mind. He noticed immediately that Luke was telling him the truth, he would leave the Alliance to be with his father. But he also detected another truth, another truth about a certain Alderaanian Princess.
Luke gazed up at him. "You saw," he said softly.
Vader was silent. "Leia's your sister?" he asked softly.
Luke nodded. "She doesn't understand what I told her when I told her there is still good in you. She doesn't believe me and her life is with the Alliance while I believe my life is with my father," he said.
Vader was silent for a long moment. "Kamino," he said finally.
"What?" Luke said glancing up.
"I know someone on Kamino. I'm not sure if she is still alive but she may be able to get me out of this suit. Also, Kamino is so far beyond the Outer Rim that the Empire would never think we'd go there."
Luke's eyes shot wide with shock. "Does that mean…?" he began.
"Yes, I will go with you, Luke, but we must leave now if we are to get away from Endor before the Emperor finds out."
"What about the shield generator?"
A small smile crossed Vader's scarred face. "I have a suggestion, can you contact the rebels here on Endor?" he asked.
Luke nodded.
"Good, tell them to stay clear of the shield generator, say it's a trap, say anything just keep them away from the generator."
"What are you going to do, Father?"
Vader smiled slightly before he pulled out his comlink and the holographic image of Admiral Piett appeared. "Admiral Piett?" Vader said.
"What is it, my Lord?" Piett asked.
"Is this a secure line?"
"Yes my Lord."
"Good, you have always been loyal to me, Piett, not the Emperor. That is why I ask for a favor, a big favor that will help to bring peace back to the galaxy."
"Anything, my Lord."
"Good, all I ask is when the Alliance arrives, do not fire on them. Instead, send a few kamikaze bombers to destroy the shield generator."
Piett's eyes widened in shock. "But what about the Emperor?" he said.
"You let me worry about the Emperor, Piett, but I want you to do this. If you have to, put some starships on autopilot and set the course for the generator. I don't care how you do it, just destroy the generator."
"Yes, my Lord," Piett said saluting before his holographic image disappeared.
Luke gazed at his father. "Are you sure he is more loyal to you than to the Emperor?" he asked.
"He was the one that allowed you, Leia, Solo and the Wookie escape Bespin after I ordered him to," Vader replied.
Luke nodded before he turned on his comlink. "Leia?" he said softly into it.
"What is it, Luke? Where are you?" Leia's voice asked.
"That doesn't matter now. It's a trap, don't go to the shield generator. A stormtrooper spotted you and managed to make it back to the generator and warned them, that was why Vader was waiting for me. You need to stay away from the generator because you won't be able to destroy it."
Leia was silent for a long moment. "All right, Luke," she said softly. "I trust you though I don't agree with you." The comlink went dead and Luke put it away before he glanced at his father.
"Come," Vader said softly. "Let us get out of here."
Emperor Palpatine scowled in anger when he spotted the Alliance arriving and Vader and his damn son hadn't arrived yet. The Executor was staying in position as the Alliance arrived and suddenly, to Palpatine surprise, three TIE fighters ejected from the Executor and flew directly down to the surface.
"Admiral, what is the meaning of this? What is happening?" Palpatine demanded after contacting Admiral Piett of the Executor.
"Traitors, your Majesty," Piett gasped. "Three traitorous kamikaze bombers stole those TIE fighters after hotwiring them and they look as though they are heading straight toward the shield generator."
"Stop them! Stop them this instant!" Palpatine screeched. For the first time in over twenty years, the Emperor was showing the emotions he was feeling on his face.
An Imperial shuttle rose from the planets surface just as an explosion caused a disturbance to drift through the Force. Palpatine could see a cloud of smoke rising up from the planet's surface, exactly where the shield generator is located.
"Status report on the shield generator," the Emperor demanded.
"It's destroy, your Majesty," Piett said. "The generator is destroyed and the shield is down." But before Palpatine could order Piett into helping protect the Death Star, the Executor suddenly turned around and disappeared into hyperspace.
"You thought you could trick me so easily," Vader's voice suddenly sounded over the comlink and Palpatine turned his gaze to the Imperial shuttle that was flying nearby.
"Lord Vader, what is the meaning of this?" Palpatine demanded.
"All these years, you lied to me. You told me that my wife died and my child died along with her but you lied. My child is alive, as you know, and he will never turn. I will make sure my son does not become into the Sith lord I had once been," said Vader, or not Vader. Palpatine recognized the determination and the cool sincerity in Vader's voice.
He scowled in anger. Anakin had broken free from the binds placed upon him when he became Vader. He switched on another comlink. "Power up the Death Star and destroy that Imperial Shuttle, now!" he ordered.
"But your Majesty…" the Admiral in charge of the Death Star protested.
"Do it, now!" the dark Sith Master yelled angrily.
"Yes, your Majesty," the Admiral said and Palpatine saw the Death Star powering up and the Admiral's panicked voice came back over the comlink. "Someone has hit the main reactor of the Death Star. The Death Star is destroying itself from the inside. If we attempt to power up the laser, we'll only sped up the process."
"I want all occupants of that shuttle dead!" Palpatine screamed.
"Yes your Majesty," the Admiral muttered and the Death Star continued to power up.
"Too late, scarface, too late," Anakin's voice called over the comlink and his hissing laughter echoed through the comlink and through the Force as the Imperial Shuttle disappeared into hyperspace.
"Get away from the Death Star, now!" Lando Calrissian shouted over the comlink as he struggled to fly through the many twists and turns of the Death Star's inmost area. Wedge was ahead of him and the flames were licking at the back of the Millennium Falcon as Lando pushed the Falcon toward the exit.
"We're clear, General Calrissian, what about you?" Mon Mothma called over the comlink.
"I'm almost out," Lando called back before letting out a whoop as he burst out of the Death Star just in time.
As Lando flew away from the Death Star, the super space station, and the Emperor inside of it, exploded into a million fragments.
Princess Leia gazed up at the exploding Death Star, still thinking about what Luke had told him. Vader was her father. She couldn't believe that the dark lord of the Sith that had tortured her was her father. She thought about when she first met Vader, the day she first met the comatose Luke on Alderaan, before the planet was destroyed.
Letting out a long sigh, Leia glanced to her side as Han made his way to sit beside her. The former smuggler gazed up at the sky. "I'm sure Luke wasn't on that," he said.
Leia glanced at him. "He wasn't, I know he wasn't," she said softly.
Han glanced at him. "You love him don't you?" he asked.
Leia frowned. "Of course I love him," she said.
"All right, that's fine," Han muttered, sounding slightly disappointed. "When he gets back, I won't stand in your way."
Leia smiled when she realized how wrong Han was. "No, it's not like that," she said before she took Han's hand in hers and said, "He's my brother."
Han stared at her and Leia chuckled before leaning forward and gently kissing Han on the lips, causing his eyes to shoot even wider than ever before and he kissed her back. An Ewok popped up before patting Han on the shoulder and Han and Leia both laughed before they kissed again.
Luke narrowed his eyes as he examined the water planet that lay below him. "Is that Kamino?" he asked.
Anakin glanced at him. "Yes, son," he replied. "I can't say if Taun We will accept my proposal and I don't know if she's still here."
Luke smiled. "I'm glad you came with me, Father," he said softly.
"Actually, so am I," Anakin agreed before he guided the Imperial Shuttle to the landing pad and sat up. "You're going to need a hood to prevent yourself from getting a cold."
"What about you? You're mostly machine, no offense, so wouldn't the water short-circuit your systems?"
Anakin smiled. "Don't worry about me, Son," he said.
Later, Luke found that Anakin was right about two things, one that Luke didn't have to worry about him and the rain, and two that Taun We was reluctant to accept Anakin's proposal. "We have a clone of you, at Palpatine's instruction," Taun We said. "But I must tell you the truth, I am reluctant to do a mind and memory transfer from your current body to this clone body. It is a very difficult process and Palpatine forbid me from doing it."
"Palpatine's dead," Anakin said. "Please, I only ask for this one favor. You may not know who I once was but I did help you during the Clone Wars, along with Obi-Wan Kenobi. That's beside the point, however, I don't ask this of you for myself, I ask it for my son. I want to be with my son but this suit is preventing me from doing so."
Taun We looked at Luke and studied him for a long moment before she looked back at Anakin. "Are you sure Palpatine is dead?" she asked.
"I am sure," Anakin replied.
"Very well, if you will come with me. You," she gestured to Luke, "must stay here for this process must only be for two people."
"All right," Luke said.
The process took several days and Luke was getting more worried than ever as he paced back and forth down the white hallways of the cloning station on Kamino. Taun We had been with his father the entire time and Luke couldn't help but worry.
The Alliance was back in space, from what Leia told him, after leaving Endor after the destruction of the second Death Star and they were heading toward Bakura to help the Bakurans with their problem with the Ssi Ruuk.
At that moment Taun We walked out of the recovery room. "Your father is going to be all right," she said. "He is sleeping right now but you may see him if you wish."
Luke nodded before walking past Taun We and making his way into the recovery room. He spotted a handsome young man of about twenty-two, maybe twenty-three years of age. His curly dark blonde hair was splayed out on the pillow and he looked nearly identical to Luke. Luke walked over to his father's side before stretching out a hand and gently touching his father's hand.
Anakin stirred before blinking open electric blue eyes and turning his head to look at Luke, a small smile on his face. "Luke?" He whispered.
"Father," Luke replied smiling.
Anakin smiled before stretching out a hand and gently touching Luke's cheek. "Where are we?" he asked suddenly.
Luke frowned. "Kamino," he replied.
Anakin frowned. "Why did we come here?" he asked, confusion in his eyes.
Luke gazed at his father. "You brought us here, Father, don't you remember?" he asked.
Anakin gazed at his son. "I don't remember anything, only bits and pieces," he whispered. "I remember you being my son, I remember the destruction of the second Death Star, and I remember when I first met you when you were eight but nothing else."
Luke gazed at his father before glancing up as Taun We walked into the recovery room. "What's the matter with him?" he asked.
The Kaminoen shook her head. "He experienced much memory loss during the transfer," she said. "I cannot say if he will or will not get his memories back but what he told you he remembered is most likely the only thing that he does remember."
Anakin gazed at Taun We, confusion in his blue eyes and he looked at Luke. "Why are we here, Luke?" he asked.
Luke glanced at Taun We but the Kaminoen shook her head. "You cannot tell him, he needs to retrieve his memories on his own accord. His powers in the Force have not been diminished, however, and he will most likely remember everything that he was taught when it comes to the Force, as far as I know."
"It does," Anakin said. "The Force always remembers, even if I don't, and the Force allows me to know how to use the Force, how to use everything that I have learned even if I don't remember learning what I know."
"Can he leave yet?" Luke asked.
Taun We nodded once in reply. "Yes," she replied. "You may leave when you wish."
Luke turned his gaze to his father as Anakin sat up slowly. "Why don't we find the Rebel Alliance and see if they need any of our help?" he suggested.
"Rebel Alliance?" Anakin echoed, his eyes glittering with confusion. "What about the Republic?"
"You don't remember anything other than what you told me, do you?"
Anakin shook his head.
Luke frowned before he put his arms around his father's shoulders. "Come on, Father, I'll introduce you to the friends that I have made," he said.
Anakin smiled. "I would like that, Son," he said before he turned his gaze to Taun We, confusion in his eyes again.
Luke smiled. "Come on, Father, let's get out of here," he said. Anakin slowly got to his feet before gazing at Taun We with confusion in his eyes again.
Taun We stepped aside and Luke and Anakin slowly made their way out of the recovery room. They headed toward the doors that led out into the open and Anakin gazed around at the rain that fell down. Luke smiled slightly before following his father as he led the way toward the Imperial Shuttle that was parked at the other end of the landing pad.
Luke couldn't help but wonder if it was going to be dangerous now that his father, though suit-less, couldn't remember anything about what has happened since the Republic fell.
A/n what do you think?
Blaze: hahahaha
Darth: what?! HOW CAN YOU POSSIBLY END IT LIKE THAT? YOU IDIOTIC STUPID NERFHERDING DUMB BUTT!
Blaze: dad? Dad? DAD?!
Darth: cappuccino
Blaze: god, you didn't need to bite my head off, I was going to do a sequel
Darth: cappuccino
Blaze: oh forget you
Darth: cappuccino, that was a good cliffhanger ending
Blaze: There is going to be a sequel but only if I get at least 62 reviews for this story so please review and this is a brief summary of the sequel:
The death of Emperor Palpatine and the return of the Jedi Knight Anakin Skywalker has caused the war against the Empire to turn in favor of the Rebel Alliance. As Anakin, Luke, Leia and the rest of the Alliance struggle to restore peace to the galaxy, a new enemy is rising, one that may use Anakin's weakness to his advantage.