Chapter 3

Luke sat outside watching as the sky turned a bright hue of reds and oranges. The sunset was quite possibly the only thing that Luke

loved about Tatooine. As a little boy he would sit outside the house and watch until the sky had turned completely black. Today,

however, Luke could not find the usual peace he felt while watching the sunset. Obi-Wan's friend, Ani, seemed strange. There was

something about him that just seemed wrong. And yet at the same time he felt a strange sense of familiarity towards him. Luke

shook his head, trying to get rid of the thoughts.

"It's probably nothing," he said to himself.

Vader still stared at the door long after the boy had closed it. The child's strong force signature still lingered in the room. The boy was

clearly untrained, but there was no denying that he was force sensitive.

"He is force sensitive, Obi-Wan, and yet you have not trained him," Vader said, "How come?"

Obi-Wan looked up at Vader and sighed, "I already failed one apprentice, I will not fail another," he said softly. Vader tilted his head

to the side, surveying him. Then he rose from the chair and walked to the door.

"Anakin," Obi-Wan called out, "Don't hurt him. Please." Vader opened the door and left, making no sign of acknowledging his words.

"May I sit with you?" an icy voice asked. Luke turned his head to see Ani standing behind him. Despite his initial rejection of the idea,

Luke nodded his head and scooted over on the bench. Ani sat down next to him and stared out at the slowly setting suns.

"It's odd you know," Luke said suddenly, "I hate the suns. The way they beat down on me when I work, but I can't help but miss

them when they're gone."

"You work in the sun?" Ani asked, looking down at him.

Luke nodded, "I work on my uncle's moisture farm, not far from here."

"That is hard work for a young boy. What of your parents? Do they work on the farm as well?" Ani asked him curiously.

Luke looked down at his hands, "My parents are dead, Mr. Ani," he said softly, "I live with my aunt and uncle." Silence permeated the

air and Luke could feel Ani's gaze on him.

"Do you hurt Mr. Ani?" he asked, looking up at Ani.

Vader stared at the bright blue eyes that seemed to gaze into the deepest, most hidden part of him. He knew those eyes.

"Hurt?" he asked, confused.

The nodded his head, "Your eyes, they hurt."

Vader drew back a little, "Nonsense, I feel nothing," he said anger evident in his voice.

The boy furrowed his brows, "You are angry. Isn't that a feeling," he said.

Vader breathed deeply but said nothing.

"Anger hurts," said the boy. "It burns in your stomach until it's hard to breathe. I don't like anger."

Vader stared at the unusual child before him, unsure of what to make of him.

"How old are you boy?" he asked.

The boy let out a frustrated sigh. "I'm nine," he said, "and my name is not "boy," its Luke."

Vader ignored the boy and merely stared down at him.

"How do you know Obi-Wan?" he asked suddenly, looking up at him.

"He was my…teacher." Vader said. The boy perked up at the statement.

"Really?" he said excitedly, "Did you know my father? Obi-Wan said they were good friends and worked together a lot."

"I may have. What was his name?" Vader questioned.

"A-"

"Luke!" a voice interrupted, "Come inside now." Obi-Wan stood in the doorway.

Luke rose from the bench and walked inside, Vader following close behind.

Obi-Wan, Luke, and Vader sat around the small table in silence.

"Who was your father boy?" Vader questioned again, his curiosity getting the better of him.

The boy slapped his palms onto the table, "I told you my name is not boy! It's Luke. Luke Skywalker!"

Nothing could prepare Luke for what happened next. Ani rose from the table so quickly, his chair fell down behind him. He then

stalked over to Luke and towered over him.

"You're lying!" he screamed. Luke shrunk back in shock.

"No," he cried softly. Ani yanked him up by the collar of his shirt and leaned into his face.

"Who was your father?" he yelled, his eyes a fiery yellow.

"Anakin!" Luke cried, "Anakin Skywalker!"

Vader dropped the boy in his grasp and stared at him in shock. Piercing blue eyes filled with tears stared up at him.

"My eyes," he realized. Suddenly Vader was filled with an intense anger. "This is all your doing!" he yelled, turning towards Obi-Wan.

"You took my son from me and told him I was dead!"

"Anakin" Obi-Wan said softly. But Vader was beyond listening.

"Did you take Padme too!" he yelled.

"No!" Luke's strangled cry made them turn. "He can't be! Ben you said my father was a good man! He's not-he-" Luke broke off, tears

streaming down his face. He turned and ran out the door into the darkness.

"Luke, no!" Obi-Wan called after him, but he was gone.