PAY ATTENTION: Some people (Not everyone. in fact its only a few) Seem to have forgotten that two DIFFERENT versions of these main characters are now the SAME people. Eius/Alternate Luke and Original Luke are now the same person. They're now just Luke. No split, it's the same person now. Alternate Anakin and Original Anakin are now the same person, Just Anakin. I've had a few reviews/messages that's giving me the strong impression that some people somehow haven't grasped this fact yet. Some of their actions may seem very out of character at times, but the thing is that they're now a blend of two separate versions of themselves. They've experienced things that have (In Anakin's case) Mellowed them out or made them see reason. They still have those tendencies (Vader tendencies for Anakin) But for the most part they've learned. Plus, they've had an entire other (Alternate) life to develop other traits entirely. So if a character seems out of character or not in their persona, it's because of this merge. This is an AU story and things have happened to alter their personalities, especially at this point in the story. If Anakin seems "Too calm" and "Not Vader enough" or whatever, it's because his 22 years as a Jedi Council Member and Father of Twins has changed him and he has a better sense of control Of course, as we've seen, he still has his limits, but he also has a much better sense of, well, common sense and logic. Also, on the matter of the Vader half of him, his original self isn't 100% Vader; the Original Anakin that merged with the Alternate Anakin was the redeemed Anakin that had been at rest on the light side of the Force for a while though (Going by EU) wanted to try and fix some of his mistakes through his children. The characters are a lot more complex with two separate personalities and I am doing my best to keep a healthy balance of both personalities in both of them. For those complaining about Anakin's lack of a Vader like reaction:
HE IS A TICKING TIME BOMB. On top of that, HE KNOWS VADERING EVERYONE WILL NOT HELP LUKE'S CASE. and then ON TOP OF THAT! HE'S THE GRANDMASTER OF THE JEDI ORDER. He now has a standard he has to follow. He has to fill in Yoda's shoes to the best of his abilities. he's in a difficult spot, but I promise he isn't going to abandon his son. We all know Anakin will chose Family over the Order. But, as I said earlier, he knows that going all Vader will not help Luke. Plus he knows that Luke WANTS to be served justice for what he's done, and as hard as that is for him, he respects his son's choice and, guess what, understands that via Vader.
I'm sorry for the rant I've just been very frustrated about this for a while now. I hope I explained this, it's really hard to explain for me, but I do know what I'm doing. Just remember this is an older more experienced Anakin that isn't as foolhardy as he once was and has much more experience and self-discipline over himself. Once again, he still has his moments because he still has his limits and allows himself a few Vader moments, but this is a very AU Anakin. For the life he's lived and the merge and what he's experienced and just EVERYTHING, he is actually rather in character for this story considering.
Also, in case you don't catch it, he did go Vader on his Informant.
ANYWAY!
So I shall warn you now; the end of this chapter gets rather...dark...
And guess what? The next chapter is titled Luke's Trials! You know what thaaaaaattttt mmmeeeaaaannnnssss!
BTW, I have a challenge; who can name Ahsoka's Witness, who can name Anakin's Informant?
PLEASE review, especially with this last scene. I WANT COMMENTS! hahaha
Ennnjjjoooyyyyyyy!
Luke stared up at the wall of his holding cell without really seeing it. It wasn't like there was much to see. This entire section of the detention block was made up of grays and blacks cast in harsh, dim orange lights. Strangely enough, the entire place reminded him of Imperial holding cells.
The binders had not come off when he'd been put into his cell; the walls were made of a special metal that was resistant to lightsabers and the Force, but apparently this specific prisoner called for a measure that kept him from even being able to touch the Force.
A tear made its way out of Luke's eye, leaving a hot, salty trail in its wake as it made its way down the side of his face. He hated being stuck in here, lost to his thoughts, doomed to wallow in his mistakes and suffer the hauntings of his crimes. What else could he do in here? There was nothing to distract him, and Luke was certain that the moment he tried to get some sleep nightmares would come to plague him. Simply lying here on the metal slab that served as a cot was running the risk of falling asleep.
For the thousandth time since he'd been brought into his cell, Luke rubbed the thick binders on his wrist subconsciously. He wished he could have the things off of him. It might alleviate some of the horrid déjà vu he was experiencing with flashbacks of ruins and Imperial Detention Centers.
Luke shivered from a chill that didn't necessarily come from the cell and he stood up. At least being cut off from the Force meant that he couldn't feel that oh-so-seductive pull of the dark side constantly trying to call its servant back. He hated how at the most random of moments the dark side would return for whatever reason—be it a trigger or a feeling he couldn't help because he'd fallen into a habit he had a hard time shaking—and then coat his senses, dragging him back towards its depths against his will. He'd had one of those moments just last night while he was trying to get some sleep. If it hadn't been for Mara snapping him out of it, who knew what would have happened as a result?
Luke paced over to one of the walls, folding his arms the best he could against the wall before he leaned forward and pressed his forehead into his arms, taking deep breaths. As long as he didn't think of his impending trial, he would be alright. Because if he started thinking about the trial, he would think of how he was doomed to be convicted and given the harshest punishment for his monstrosities, and then he would think of what that would do to his family...
Stop it Luke; you're doing it again, he thought fiercely. Don't do this to yourself. You need to be strong for this. A Skywalker doesn't let others see when they're broken. Focus on something—anything—else...
Eyes squeezed tightly shut, Luke focused on his breathing like he did when he meditated.
Breathe in...breathe out...breathe in...out...in...out...
He wondered how long he'd been in this cell by now.
In...out...in...out...
How was his father handling all of this?
In...out...
When had Anakin Skywalker even been made the Grandmaster?
In...
This isn't working, Luke thought with a frustrated huff. It hadn't been this hard to meditate since...well...since he first tried meditating. Perhaps the fact he couldn't meditate to feel the Force had something to do with it.
The door to his cell slid open and Luke tensed instinctively, flashbacks of being led down dark halls flickering across the front of his mind like rapid-fire. He forced himself to gradually relax, pushing away from the wall to turn around and see Ahsoka Tano standing in the doorway with a grim expression.
Luke's hands dropped limply to hang bound in front of him as shock flickered across his face. "Ahsoka; what are you doing here?"
Ahsoka didn't reply. Instead she turned to the two sentinels that apparently guarded Luke's cell. He hadn't known he even had guards at his cell; it was all metal with no way to see out into the hall or anywhere for that matter.
Never mind that on top of the dauntingly thick metal door there was also a ray shield both on the outside and the inside of the cell door.
Ahsoka's eyes had narrowed at the sentinels, and she looked every bit the former Padawan of Anakin Skywalker and Clone Wars Commander that she was in that moment. "Why does he still have binders on him? He's in his cell, is he not?" she asked sharply.
The sentinels shared a glance. "Well—"
Ahsoka waved off the rumbled reply. "Never mind, I don't want to hear the excuses. I want them taken off."
"We can't let you do that," one of the sentinels said, his voice holding a hint of a threat.
Ahsoka stood straighter. "Well too bad. If you want 'proper authority' I can contact Grandmaster Skywalker now and ask him. I don't think he'd be too happy to know that Luke's been in cuffs this entire time, and not binder free like every other prisoner in this block."
Luke knew if he could see the sentinels' faces they would be scowling. "Fine."
Luke stiffened just slightly when the pair approached him, waiting patiently for them to release him. Once the binders fell away Luke rubbed his wrists and took a deep breath, eyes closed in relief as the Force rushed to greet him once again. The sentinels stiffly returned to their posts outside the door, and Ahsoka arched a tattoo where eyebrows would be on a human.
"I'd like some privacy with him," she said pointedly.
"Don't try anything Tano," one of the sentinels warned, and Ahsoka bristled slightly. However, the door—and ray shields—slid into place, leaving the two Jedi to their private business.
Whatever that was.
"You never answered my question," Luke noted quietly. "Why are you here?"
"You're father sent me," she told him, crossing the room to the slab that was serving as his bed. "Skyguy wants me to be your representative in this since he can't do it himself."
Luke shook his head, casting his eyes elsewhere. "There's no point; I'm guilty of what they've charged me with, more so than everyone even realizes. I'm condemned, and there's nothing anyone can do about it."
"Your father knew you would say that Skyguy Jr. That's why I'm here; to talk some sense into you and figure out how we can lessen the charges against you. I've been in your shoes more or less, so he figured I was the best person to help you," she said easily. She patted the space next to her on the slab. "Now, get over here and take a seat; I'm sure we have a lot to discuss."
Reluctantly, Luke eased himself onto the slab beside her, doing his best to hide the fact his wrists were red and slightly cut from the tight binders that had been holding him for...however long it had been. Luke interlocked his fingers, dropping his hands into his lap. He offered no words, extremely reluctant to broach the subject.
Thankfully, Ahsoka realized that and decided to speak first. "So what are the charges against you?"
Luke swallowed a lump in his throat, closing his eyes to take a deep breath before he spoke. "Mass murder, treason, theft, conspiracy, torture, kidnapping, arson, blackmail, and sexual assault," he muttered quietly.
"And you admit to all of them?" she asked skeptically.
"Yes, but..." Luke turned his head to look Ahsoka in the eyes so that she could see the honesty in his next words. "The only one I don't admit to is the sexual assault. I would never...never do that to a woman, even when I'm not necessarily in my right mind. Never Ahsoka, I swear!"
"I believe you Luke, don't worry," Ahsoka said soothingly, placing a hand on his knee. "I'll look more into that so that we can see about clearing your name of that charge. Is that all?" Ahsoka asked. Luke didn't miss the fact that there was a hint of hopefulness in her voice that he wasn't guilty of at least one more charge. He hated to disappoint her.
"Yeah...that's all," Luke murmured, dropping his gaze back to the hand's clasped in his lap.
Ahsoka sighed. "All right then...Now, your father suggested that we base your case on your circumstances and focus on the fact that at the time you were two separate people but you're the same now," she said, fishing out two holodisks from her utility belt. Luke frowned.
"What are they?" he asked, nodding at the disks in her hand. Ahsoka grimaced slightly.
"You may not like it, but it's footage that Anakin picked up from Korriban that R2 found detailing your time there and the, ah, holodisk that had the footage of your imprisonment on Byss on it..." she explained gently. Luke winced and she nodded sympathetically. "As hard as it's going to be to see them again, there's stuff on these disks that could help your case, especially when you were bit by the Hssiss. Also, your mother says that we have a witness that wants to testify in your favor."
Luke's frown deepened substantially. "What do you mean a witness?"
Ahsoka smiled. "I'll keep that to myself as the card to finish my idiots array. Your father also, ah...is tracking down someone else that could say something in your favor on those assassinations that have been traced back to you."
It felt like Ahsoka had socked him in the gut, the breath disappearing from him momentarily as he suddenly remembered something he'd been subconsciously keeping at the back of his mind.
He'd sent an assassin after his sister.
He'd sent Boba Fett after his sister.
His own sister!
"Luke, are you okay?" Ahsoka asked. Her voice sounded like it was coming from down a long, dark tunnel, and Luke shook his head.
"No, no I'm not. I just...remembered something," he said in a whispery voice. Ahsoka opened her mouth to ask, but Luke shook his head more adamantly. "Don't ask, please?"
At his strained tone, Ahsoka decided to let it go and nodded. "All right then...I want to see if Anakin would be able to testify of what happened on Byss, maybe even Galen and Leia. The more people there are to witness, the better."
"Ahsoka..." Luke said quietly.
"Yes Luke?" she asked expectantly.
Luke hesitated, but managed to find it in himself to speak. "Whatever sentence I'm given...I'll take it without complaint. If I do complain...it will be because I feel I wasn't punished adequately for my crimes..."
Ahsoka placed a hand on Luke's shoulder, looking at him sympathetically. "Luke, I know that you've done some terrible things, but you need to know that you're surrounded by people that love you in spite of all of that, and they want you back home safe with them."
Luke shook his head. "I could never live with myself if I'm not served a punishment that I feel does justice to all those that I've wronged."
Ahsoka sighed, getting down on her knees in front of him. "Luke, I haven't seen these disks yet, but I have talked to Anakin and I know that you went through plenty in those ruins. I think the torture that you experienced in the ruins and even ultimately the death you suffered at Sidious' hands should count as punishment enough. In a way, you have already atoned with your blood and life," she said firmly.
Luke sighed. "It's...it's not the same. I was being held prisoner, that didn't have anything to do with punishment for my deeds."
"Well, I think that you've been through enough, as does everyone else that knows what you've gone through."
Luke avoided her eyes. "I'm still pleading guilty to everything but the sexual assault. I don't even know where that one came from..."
Ahsoka looked at him sadly. "I know, and I respect that. We're still going to emphasize your situation and other details that contributed to all of that. In a way, you became Sidious' slave and were forced to do his will, especially at first."
Luke shook his head. "He never...never told me how to go about it though. He built me into...into that monster I became and then let me loose on the Galaxy with the sole purpose to wreak havoc, mostly on the Jedi but also on the government officials that Sidious despised and any innocent that happened to cross my path..."
Ahsoka was silent for a while. Finally, she asked the question Luke was dreading. "How many did you kill?"
Luke hung his head in ultimate shame, his throat closing up and his eyes burning with tears. A strangled noise escaped his throat, but Ahsoka waited patiently. Something told him she wasn't going to leave until he gave her an answer. He struggled to get an actual number, forcing himself not to think of their faces and screams. He paled considerably as he thought of some of his much better hidden and more monstrous crimes that even he had forgotten. "Somewhere around..." he trailed off, working his lip between his teeth as he thought, slipping further and further into sorrow the larger the number became in his head. How was this even possible? Had he really been that bloodthirsty?
Unfortunately, his heart and mind admitted that yes, yes he had.
Luke buried his face in his hands, shielding himself from the horror Ahsoka was bound to feel at what he had to say. "Over a hundred...two hundred...possibly three...I don't know I-I can't remember them all. There's too many..." he admitted, his voice breaking.
"How is that even possible?" Ahsoka couldn't help but ask, her voice hollow. "You were only gone—"
"Civilians, witnesses, guards, Jedi, assassinations I called for. I moved a lot and sometimes...I was bored and...and now...there're a few villages across the galaxy that...aren't there any...anymore..." Luke admitted, his shoulders trembling violently as he spoke and fought the tears that wanted to push through. He was fighting a losing battle though, and the tears escaped his eyes and trailed down his hands and arms.
Ahsoka hesitantly placed an arm around him, trying to comfort him. "Just imagine what your father's been through..." she offered, trying to cheer him up.
A strangled laugh made its way through his tears, but it was short. He was glad she was trying to cheer him up, but that was kind of impossible with his current predicament and realization.
After a few minutes, Luke finally calmed down again. He still couldn't look Ahsoka in the eyes, but his tears had managed to momentarily dry up. Once she was sure he wasn't about to break down again, Ahsoka stood up.
"I have to go now. I'll see what I can do. Is there anything you want me to tell your family?" she asked, stressing her last question.
"Tell them that I love them," Luke said shakily. "And that I'm so sorry for all of this..."
Ahsoka smiled a little. "You know what they'll say about that."
"Yes but...I need to apologize for everything that I've put them through...and I'm still putting them through."
Ahsoka reached over and grasped his shoulder. "We're going to do all that we can. You'll make it through this Luke, I promise."
Don't make a promise you can't keep...trust me, it's not something you want to do, Luke couldn't help but think. He didn't dare say it out loud though. Instead, he stayed silent and nodded, watching as Ahsoka turned away and left his cell.
When she was gone, he dropped his head back into his hands and let the shame and pain overtake him.
"Anakin!"
Anakin turned at the familiar voice, surprised to see Ahsoka here in the Works. "Ahsoka; what are you doing here?"
"You told me to find you after talking to Luke," she said, coming to a halt about a meter away from him. They were standing in a dark alley in-between two of the long-abandoned factories; not exactly an ideal place to be in the Works, especially as night was growing increasingly nearer. It was already sunset.
That got Anakin's attention. He turned around to face her completely, his expression one full of fatherly concern. "How is he?"
Ahsoka grimaced. "Anakin...I wish I could say he's fine, but he's not."
Anakin looked away, his jaw clenched. "Distract me then; what did you find? Do you think he might have a chance?"
Ahsoka sighed. "He's not too optimistic about this case, and I'm not sure how it's going to go myself. We do have some good circumstantial evidence that could possibly lighten the sentence but..."
Anakin cocked an eyebrow. "But what?"
Ahsoka avoided his gaze; she didn't necessarily want to see his reaction when she told him what Luke had told her. "He told me how many people he thinks he's killed and...it's not a pretty number. And he's not even sure."
"At least tell me it's below a hundred," Anakin asked, his voice strained. Ahsoka winced.
"He thinks a couple hundred," she said softly.
"How..." Anakin stopped himself there. "Never mind...I...I've been in his shoes...as impossible as it may seem...it's completely possible."
"That number is definitely going to hurt his case," she mumbled. "But there's still a chance! Did you get in contact with that bounty hunter?"
Anakin grew a little shifty. "Yeah, I've got his testament on a holodisk right here," Anakin said, pulling the disk. "He took some...convincing...but even though he won't show up in person he was willing to give me this."
Ahsoka looked at him skeptically. "I have the feeling that this information wasn't gathered quite so innocently as you claim."
"Neither was the information I got from Ventress. I find that sometimes I need to toe the lines to get the results I need," Anakin said breezily. "Here, just...take the disk and add it to your collection. Don't forget to back up all the information. Have you...have you watched the videos yet?"
Ahsoka shook her head. "No, not yet. I'm going to do that tonight and take a copy of all the parts that will be useful for his defense and put it onto a separate disk."
"You might want to wait on the separate disk just a little while," Anakin said hesitantly.
Ahsoka frowned. "Why's that?"
"Luke's trial isn't for a few days, and Obi-Wan has gone back to Byss to see if he can find anything there that survived the collapse and can be of use to us. On his way back, he's going to take another look at some of the crime scenes to see if there's anything there," he explained. Ahsoka huffed in annoyance.
"You could have told me that before I talked to Luke. Luke might have been able to give us a few locations that could be helpful," she pointed out. Anakin gave her a weak, sheepish smile.
"He told me after you left. But that doesn't matter. Just as long as we get enough to avoid a death sentence I will live," Anakin said.
Ahsoka had a feeling that last part was more literal than Anakin was willing to admit. That reminded her. "Oh, Anakin; do you think the Council will accept your account of what happened on Byss as a testament in Luke's trial if you focus on what happened with him?"
Anakin thought for a moment. "They would hear it anyway with a briefing...I have to give that with Galen and Leia soon; none of us are looking forward to that...it's going to be very tense to say the least. Yes, I think they would allow that. I'll have to ask to be sure, but I believe so. I do have a strong opinion to share with the Council over all of this."
Ahsoka pretended like she hadn't heard that last part. "I also want to use Galen and Leia if I can; they might have a little more to share."
"I'm sure they'll be fully willing to lend their support," Anakin said with a nod.
Ahsoka glanced around them. She really didn't like being down here. "One question; your informant is still alive, right?"
Anakin scowled. "Yes, he is."
"Injured?" Ahsoka asked expectantly. She'd be utterly shocked if he said no...
Anakin was suddenly very interested in a mysterious stain on the alley floor. "Yes...though it's nothing too serious."
Ahsoka rolled her eyes. "He better be decently all right. I know you have plenty of reasons to hate the guy; just as much as you have to respect him, but still, he better stay alive."
"For now," Anakin said with a wave of his hand. "If he comes near my family like on Christophsis every again though..."
She hated how flippantly he said that. With a sigh, the Togruta shook her head. "Well, I've got plenty of research to do...I'll see you in the morning Anakin." She turned to leave, but stopped herself. "Oh, and Luke wanted me to tell you—and the rest of the family—that he loves you all, and he's sorry for everything."
Anakin looked pained. "He doesn't have to apologize for anything."
Ahsoka sighed. "You might have already forgiven him, but I think Luke is still struggling to get his apologies out and get everything off of his chest. He's not going to fully heal if he never apologizes for what he's done."
Anakin looked away, staring at the filthy ground. "I know..."
Ahsoka thumped him lightly on the back. "Get some sleep tonight Anakin; and try not to run yourself into the ground."
"No promises," Anakin murmured with a sigh.
(Later that night...)
He was in a glass box.
There was a light above the glass box.
Everywhere else was pure darkness.
The box was small in width but a good foot over his head it was so tall. Hesitantly, he pressed his hand against the glass, looking for a crack or some way out of the cramped space. It was completely sealed, except for a few pipes that were connected to the bottom of the box and ran into the darkness out of sight. The silence was deafening as he looked up. Maybe the box had a lid to it...
The top, he could see, was welded down. He was trapped in this box with no way out.
A strange humming suddenly sounded around him, followed by the sound of what he assumed was rushing water. Instantly, terror gripped him. Was this box about to fill with water? Was he going to be drowned?
The rushing sound finally reached the box and he looked down, expecting to see water rushing into the box. Instead, some sort of dark red liquid began to pour into the box, confusing him instantly. He leaned down and dipped his fingers into the liquid that was rapidly filling the bottom of the box, pulling away swiftly when he found that the substance was warm...and something he was a little too familiar with.
"Well, this gives new meaning to the phrase 'paid in blood,' doesn't it?"
He was so shocked to hear the voice that he stumbled back into the glass wall of the box behind him, sliding down as far as the box would allow and soaking himself by accident in the blood filling the box he was encased in. He shot back to his feet, pressing himself as far back as he could get.
In front of him stood the Emperor, grinning like the sadistic Sith Lord he was.
Sidious gestured towards the blood that was now up to his knees. "How fitting that you should drown in the blood of those that you've killed; poetic even, if I may say so myself."
Mind-numbing terror and revulsion couldn't begin to explain how he felt hearing those words. Strangely enough, Sidious backed away and disappeared into the darkness after that, leaving him alone in the box that was rapidly filling, already up to his waist. He felt like he was going to hurl, and horror kept him riveted in place for several heart stopping moments. Finally, his mind kicked back into action and he started banging against the glass in an attempt to break himself free of this fresh new hell he had found himself in.
His own blood ran cold when he saw he hadn't so much as scratched the glass. He searched the darkness in a panic for any sign that someone was there, praying that someone would help him. He could sense being out there; they were watching him, still as death, silent as the grave. Why wouldn't anyone do anything? Why wouldn't anyone help him?
The blood came up to his chest, and he began to hear whispers around him...
Killer, murderer, butcher, monster, beast...
His throat closed up at the words that echoed around him in his ears and he slammed against the wall once more, again in a panic. "Someone, help me!" he shouted, peering desperately into the darkness in the hopes he might see someone who could help him, someone who could save him.
Slaughterer, slayer, blood-thirsty, abomination, soulless...
The blood was up to his neck now and he found himself kicking futilely, floating upwards to the top of the box in an attempt to retain air. "Please, anyone, someone, help me, please!" he yelled.
The words continued to circulate around him.
Executioner, servant of evil, damned, malevolent, evil...
The box was almost full.
"No, please, someone, help me! Help me please! No!" Luke screamed, cutting off as the box was finally full and he had no more air. Futilely, Luke slammed his palms in slow motion against the glass, desperate to break free. His lungs were burning and he thrashed violently in panic. When his lungs could take no more he couldn't help the instinct he had to scream with what little energy he had left, beating his fists against the glass once more.
His vision was darkening, his palm sliding down the glass as his strength failed him. Before he could give into the void that yawned open to swallow him whole, the entire box suddenly shattered and the blood rushed everywhere, spilling Luke out onto the floor into the dark, cold room around him. He coughed, his lungs clearing themselves and eagerly gulping in air before he rolled over and promptly emptied the contents of his stomach.
The voices came back.
Let him burn, kill him, no forgiveness for creatures like him, make him suffer...
Luke weakly pushed himself up onto his hands and knees, looking around him in the darkness. He still could not see faces, but he could see the silhouettes of the beings that encircled him. He could see no way out, no way for escape. One of the figures reached for him, their long fingered pale hand threatening malice with no forgiveness. Luke retreated instinctively but cut his hands on the glass shards that now littered the ground around where the box had been. He cried out and fell backwards onto the glass, letting out a strangled scream of pain as glass dug into his back, limbs, and even a few splinters into his neck while some cut his head. Stunned, Luke lay there for a few moments as the voices continued.
Die, suffer, force him to know true agony, take everything from him, break him into nothing...
"Please...no," he moaned, rolling onto his hands and knees once more and crawling futilely as far as his weak body could drag him. Tears streamed down his face as he found himself nearing a mirror. The throng continued around him, moving with him, continuing their merciless assault.
Murderer of the innocent, slave of evil, devil, demon...
All around him he could only see red as he lifted his hand to the mirror in front of him, head bowed low, panting. He found it strange that he did not feel the cool surface of the mirror, but rather the leather of a glove that had appeared on his palm. Confused, he looked up to look at his reflection in the mirror...
...and immediately cried out in utter terror.
Sith, just like his father; just like Vader...
Luke's fingers tore at the life support panel on his chest, but he couldn't tear the thing away. The mask and helmet over his head was stylized similarly to Vader's, so similarly Luke had known the resemblance the moment he'd looked up at his reflection. All around him was the iconic breathing that haunted the nightmares of even the bravest of men.
The hands of the figures that had closed around him reached out, each one of them grabbing some inch of him and yanking him roughly towards them. Some of them landed blows as they repeated their chants, and after a nasty blow to the face Luke could taste blood.
Blood-thirsty abomination, murderer, beast, evil...
"No!"
Luke flew off of his slab of a cot with the panicked shout, eyes wild, breathing heavy and labored, and coated in a cold sweat. Frantically, Luke checked himself over for glass and bloodstains, any evidence of what he had just suffered through. He found nothing, but the damage remained. Trembling violently, Luke slid down the wall of his cell and sobbed, free from the prying eyes of the Galaxy in this cell but enchained by his crimes.
The tears fell hot and fast and Luke buried his head in his arms, drawing his knees close to him. Luke choked on his tears, gasping in breath as he tried to block out this recent nightmare. His fingernails dug into his arms, and he wouldn't be surprised if further inspection revealed he broke skin and drew blood.
Luke leaned his head back against the wall, his body wracked with his sobs as he took in ragged breaths, trying to find a calm center once again. He could do this...he could...
Luke closed his eyes, holding onto the beam of light and innocence that remained inside of him, however small it may seem to him. In the hollow, cold emptiness that was his cell, Luke whispered one sentence of comfort that he had said once before in order to dispel the cacophony of accusations and defiling insults from his dream.
"I am a Jedi, like my father before me."