Unlike the previous meeting between the two powerful men, Luke was completely calm. He felt no reason to be uptight, no reason to run. He was not forcing himself to be this way either. It was as if he had found peace, knowing that his time was limited.
They were on the lower deck of the landing bay, where Luke had recently surrendered. No one knew of the true intent behind it, only him and his father, and that was how it would stay. Luke walked with a commander and two stormtroopers, all holding their blasters, but he was no threat. His hands were locked in binders in front of him, not to mention his had no intention of running. He had come here for a reason.
Vader strode up to the group, and the commander straightened up.
"This is a Rebel that surrendered to us," he said, his voice powerful an unfaltering. "Although he denies it I believe there may be more of them, and I request permission to conduct a further search of the area." He extended his arm out to Vader, Luke's lightsaber in his hand. "He was armed only with this." Vader took it from the other man and nodded.
"Good work, commander," he said. "Leave us. Conduct your search and bring his companions to me."
"Yes my lord," the commander said with a slight bow of his head, and then he was gone, along with the two stormtroopers. Vader and Luke began to walk slowly along the deck, looking straight ahead. It was silent, except for the sounds of the forest around them.
"The Emperor has been expecting you," Vader's voice sliced through the still air. It did not phase Luke in the slightest.
"I know, father," he said simply, his voice calm, almost resigned.
"So, you have accepted the truth," Vader said, not phrasing it as a question, but as a clear statement.
"I have accept the truth that you were once Anakin Skywalker, my fa—" Luke was cut off, and the two stopped. Vader turned to face Luke in a threatening way.
"That name no longer has any meaning for me," he warned. Luke did not back down, nor did he show any signs of intimidation.
"It is the name of your true self, you have only forgotten," Luke said, almost pleading with his father. His voice returned to the calm, collected tone it had been just moments before. "I know there is good in you. The Emperor hasn't driven it from you fully."
He turned, walking away from Vader, and placed his bound hands on the rail of the deck, looking out into the black forest. "That's why you couldn't bring yourself to destroy me," he continued. "That's why you won't bring me to your Emperor now."
Vader glanced down at the weapon he held in his hand, igniting it. Luke turned his head slightly as the hum of the saber reached him.
"I see you have constructed a new lightsaber," he said, examining it. "Your skills are complete. Indeed you are powerful, as the Emperor has foreseen."
They were silent for a moment, and Vader disengaged the lightsaber.
"Come with me," Luke said suddenly, his head turned slightly. Vader dropped his arm.
"Obi-Wan once thought as you do," he said. Luke stepped away from the rail, turning his body so that he was facing Vader. "You don't know the power of the dark side. I must obey my master."
"I will not turn," Luke said, his voice calm, but carrying a hint of finality. "And you'll be forced to kill me."
"If that is your destiny," Vader said simply. Luke began to walk slowly back to the masked man in black.
"Search your feelings father," he said. "You can't do this. I feel the conflict within you; let go of your hate." Luke's voice was back to the pleading tone it had held before.
"It is too late for me, son," Vader said. His mechanical voice sounded almost sad. "The Emperor will show you the true meaning of the Force. He is your master now."
Luke dropped his eyes for a moment before returning them back up to Vader. Waiting stormtroopers surrounded him, ready to lead him away.
"Then my father is truly dead," he said, resigned. He turned away from his father along, with the stormtroopers, and began to walk. In that moment the same place that he had come from opened once again, the same commander walking out with two stormtroopers, and a feisty brunette, obviously unhappy of being surrounded.
"Lord Vader," the commander said, raising his chin. "We found one of the Rebel's friends."
Luke froze, turning his head over his shoulder. Vader stared the girl down and nodded.
"Well done," he said. "Make sure he gets on the ship. I need to speak with her."
"Yes my lord," the commander said, and he walked over to where Luke stood, frozen in place. All his face gave away was Why? The girl had no answer for him. As the commander passed the Sith Lord, he handed Vader her own lightsaber, which he took and examined carefully. The stormtroopers, the commander, and Luke then left the deck.
Anna stood near the door she had walked out from, with Vader standing in the middle of the deck, his gloved hands clutching both lightsabers. She did not move from her position, and only eyed the Sith Lord. She was no longer afraid of him as she had been in Cloud City. She was raw and untrained then, now, she was able to keep her fear in check.
"Why have you come?" Vader's mechanical voice boomed, finally cutting the silence.
"The Emperor has kept you in the dark about me, hasn't he?" she asked, her voice almost testing him. She knew she was walking a dangerous line, but she knew that he would not strike her down.
"I know who you are," he said, turning to face her, walking powerfully over to where she stood. She took a step back, slightly intimidated. "You are not the one that he seeks. However, I'm sure he will be pleased to know that he now has both Jedi under his control."
He looked down at her lightsaber, seeing that it was double-bladed. "A Sith's lightsaber," he commented. "Impressive. You are well on your way to becoming consumed by the dark side."
"A lightsaber build means nothing," she spat. "It is the wielder than makes it evil."
He ignited it in front of her, and she backed away a few steps. It was odd seeing a pearl-coloured blade in the hands of someone so evil.
"The Emperor values a warrior who knows how to wield a weapon such as this one," he commented.
"I will never fight for him," she hissed. "Neither will Luke."
"We'll see," Vader said, disengaging the lightsaber.
"It's had to believe," she said, turning away from Vader. "Someone as pure as Luke coming from a monster consumed by darkness." She turned her head over her shoulder. "Such as yourself. The saddest part is, he has accepted it."
Vader said nothing. "A word of advice," he said. "When you are brought before the Emperor, do not try to hide your feelings for my son. He has seen your love."
"I don't need advice from you," she said, struggling to keep her brewing anger under control.
"You will be much easier to turn than my son," Vader said, and stormtroopers surrounded her once more. Anna gave each one of them a harsh look. One of them prodded her in the back with his blaster. She turned, but paused as soon as she was a few feet past Vader.
"If Luke does not survive the journey to the Death Star, I will personally see that mask of yours torn from your shoulders," she warned.
"Do not threaten me," Vader said, returning her warning tone, but his powerful voice shook throughout the trees.
"And don't give me any reason to," she said, and with that, began to walk forward, leaving Vader by himself on the lower deck.