Chapter 5 - Serenno

DISCLAIMER: We (unfortunately) do not own Star Wars. :P

Author's Note: In which Vader and Anakin go to Serenno. ^-^

Thank you all so, so much for the favorites, follows, and reviews! I really hope that you'll continue to enjoy this tale as it unfolds! :D

Also, surprise chapter! This won't happen often, so enjoy! :)

~ Amina Gila

It could be minutes. It could be hours. Vader doesn't move or relinquish his grip on - on Anakin as he cries. He can only imagine how disturbing it was for him to learn the full extent of the damage Vader suffered on Mustafar, and the younger's pain is only being amplified by his own. He can't cry anymore, and even if he could, he thinks he's too numb for that. This is a truth he's lived with every second of his life since his old master abandoned him to die a slow and painful death. He's become accustomed to it.

Still, it is... comforting to know that neither of them will be alone anymore. If one of them is struggling, the other will be there to offer a helping hand. If both of them are being dragged down by their internal conflicts, well, at least they'll do that together as well. It is an... odd concept, one to which Vader is not accustomed to entertaining. As far as he can remember, he's always been alone in one way or another. On Tatooine, he was the only one who could protect his mother. With the Jedi, he was something of an outcast, accepted for his power and usefulness, but never really fitting in. Even under the Empire, he never really belonged. He was the Emperor's attack dog, and his confinement to his life-support suit has guaranteed that he would forever be separated from those around him.

Anakin shifts pulling back slightly and swiping the tears from his face. He doesn't feel embarrassed by his breakdown, only resigned to the future and whatever it might hold for both of them. Vader's right hand twitches as he fights off his own awkwardness. It's been - it's only been seven years since he's last interacted with another human beyond on the battlefield or on Star Destroyers or servants. How can he have forgotten so much of how to act? It never used to be this way. He was always very attuned to the emotions of others, intuitively understanding what they wanted or needed without them ever having to ask.

After a pause, he rests his gloved prosthetic on Anakin's shoulder, silently letting the younger feel his unwavering support. Emotions are messy and confusions... and frustrating. He hates them with a vengeance sometimes, and he hates himself for still retaining the same capacity to feel despite everything. Isn't there a saying about experience and trauma hardening a person? Is it true for him? To an extent, yes, but sometimes, like right now, Vader feels more as if he's gotten used to hiding how much he feels rather than actually becoming inured to the pain and suffering of others... and himself.

But on the other hand, perhaps half of what he's now feeling - especially the intensity - is from Anakin. Force, this is so confusing. Even if Vader wanted to block of their bond, he doesn't have the strength to do so. It's too strong, too overwhelming. And more than that, he wants it too much, needs to feel the brilliant light of the presence next to him. He could lose himself in the Dark Side now, give himself over to it entirely, but he could do so with the knowledge that he could bring himself back, because Anakin is his anchor.

The beeping of an alarm brings both of them back to the present, and Anakin turns towards the control panel. "We're here," he declares, slipping into the pilot's seat and flipping the lever to bring them out of hyperspace.

The shuttle jolts, vibrating beneath Vader's boots as he seats himself next to Anakin. The change that has come over the younger is startling, and it's jarring to see from an outsider's perspective just how much the war changed him. There's no trace of emotionalness on Anakin's face, aside from the few telltale signs of his breakdown. His mind has completely sealed off all emotions, muting them to the point where he's focusing single-mindedly on the goal in front of them. Vader is the same way - of course, he is - but that doesn't make it any less disconcerting to see this... child acting in the same manner.

Anakin is only twenty-one, a mere nine years younger than Vader himself now is, but the age difference is still enough for Vader to regard his counterpart as... No. He dares not put a label to what they are to one another, because realizing that he has this weakness, that he can be hurt again will be his undoing. So, he lets it go, slamming all of his emotions aside in favor of focusing on the mission ahead. He reaches for his hate, the feelings in stark contrast to the unwavering love he feels for Anakin, letting it - and the Dark Side - flood him, filling him with power. He pulls it in close, letting the thrill of the coming duel fill him. This is who he is, and he won't be ashamed of it.

"We'll need a clearance code," Anakin points out with a frown. "They're hailing us." The "they" being the massive Separatist Star Destroyers orbiting Serenno. Of course, Dooku's home planet would not be unguarded.

Vader smirks beneath his mask. Dooku will never know what hit him. "Leave that to me," he replies mysteriously, reaching out answering the incoming transmission, audio only.

"Unidentified shuttle, state your business," orders a droid.

"We have urgent business with the Count," Vader replies as he sends the clearance codes, codes which he only knows from the future. It's a risky gamble to think that the codes which allowed him to land unharmed on Mustafar back when he executed the Separatist Council would still work here, but he's confident in their ability to land should the enemy decide to attack them.

"You may proceed," the droid informs them after a long moment.

Vader doesn't even bother trying to hide his smugness as Anakin takes the shuttle down to the ground. "Follow my lead," he tells the younger. "We are here to kill Dooku. Following that, I will assume control of the CIS in the Count's stead."

Anakin shrugs slightly. "Sounds good," he agrees, completely unfazed by the sheer insanity of the proposal. He, like Vader, must be sensing that the Force is with them, whispering words of victory and success. "Are you sure you can pull it off?"

He makes an incredulous sound which probably sounds stupid through the vocoder, but he knows that Anakin can still feel his incredulity, so it doesn't matter much. "I spent enough years in the Emperor's court to understand how the game of politics works," he informs the younger.

Something melancholy and bittersweet flares in Anakin, but Vader doesn't push, giving him time to think and sort out his own inner conflict without prompting. When he's ready to talk, he will. Anakin trusts him, unlike he does with his former master. He knows that Vader won't dismiss or abuse his feelings. "I – he was my – our mentor, our friend," Anakin begins, and Vader immediately knows to whom he's referring. Anakin stares fixedly out the viewport as he begins the landing cycle. "He used us, betrayed us..." Betrayal spears through the younger, mingled with pain, and Vader reaches out to clasp his shoulder, grounding him.

"I know." His vocoder makes his words inflectionless, a monotone to which he has long become accustomed, but there are times when he still hates it. Still, Anakin can feel his sympathy and understanding in the Force. These are all feelings which Vader himself has struggled with over the years, but his own conflict regarding Palpatine has waned to some degree, bitterness and hatred replacing whatever affection he might have harbored, especially as the number of punishments he endured has increased.

"He manipulated us since we were young," Vader continues. "He has never had our best interests in mind – only his own. If we are with him, we will not be able to be against him... until now the Force has given us a chance to unite against him. He will never know what hit him. Remember, Anakin, Sidious does not and never will care for us."

Anakin closes his eyes for a moment, wrestling his pain under control as he swallows hard, nodding. "Yes, I know," he whispers. The turmoil within him, a pain to which Vader is altogether too familiar, resonates within his own heart, making him loathe Sidious even more for twisting his – their minds to such a degree.

They have never been anything other than slaves their whole lives; it's time for them both to learn what it means to live, though Vader suspects that it will be far easier for Anakin to accomplish than it will be for him. For too long he has only known the Dark Side. The darkness is merciless and unforgiving, and Vader's contempt for his master is overshadowed only by his hatred for himself. That hate flares now, rolling under the surface like a million needles stabbing into his very soul.

Anakin feels it, of course, and he inhales sharply, reaching out through their bond and wrapping Vader in his affection and support. Vader appreciates it, but... even knowing that Anakin knows him, sees him as he really is, it's not enough for him to even begin to forgive himself. Besides, he needs the power right now, being as they're going to confront Dooku. "Come. We must go." Vader gestures, rising to his full height, leaving the cockpit, Anakin following him as they disembark from the shuttle.

Serenno is... well, it's just as it was when Vader last saw it. He came here once, a year or two after the formation of the Empire, purely out of curiosity. He'd wondered about Dooku, about the former apprentice of his new master, so he had come to Dooku's residence here. It was a long time ago though, and he doesn't trust that his memory of the castle is accurate. He stalks up the steps, cape billowing behind him as he blasts open the front doors with a violent Force shove. If nothing else, his armor lends him a tangible sense of mystery, enhancing the drama of his every act. It's not as if there's anything else for him to enjoy.

Anakin follows behind him, hood raised, concealing his face. Anticipation rises in both of them as they feel Dooku's approaching Force signature. They are both looking forwards to this, their mutual excitement looping between them. Their footsteps – and Vader's respirator – echo through the vast halls as they stride through the doors, walking on the marble flooring. Dooku walks down the final staircase, expression wary as he sees them.

"What do you want? Did my master send you?" His tone is almost apprehensive, but Vader can clearly hear his disdain. Even now, he doesn't realize how close he is to death.

"I am Darth Vader, and I am your death," he promises savagely, letting the Dark Side ripple around him as he Force yanks his lightsaber to his hand, igniting the blood-red blade. Dooku doesn't even flinch; of course, he doesn't. If nothing else, his control is admirable. "Your master is next."

There's a snap-hiss as Anakin ignites his own lightsaber, and Vader leaps forwards, slicing towards the Count's head. Dooku sidesteps the blow, drawing his own lightsaber and blocking the slash. Their lightsabers crash, and Dooku's eyes flicker from Vader to Anakin, as he pushes back his hood. Understanding dawns, flaring into the Force around him as Vader grins. "Anakin has sided with me," he declares smugly. "You and your master have lost."

Vader draws back, unleashing a flurry of attacks on Dooku's defenses. Between the two of them, Vader is at a significant advantage, because he already knows that Dooku favors Makashi, while the Count knows nothing about him or his fighting style. Vader is well acquainted with Makashi, just as he is with all six other lightsaber forms. While he relies primarily on Djem So, he had been forced to modify it further, especially given the extent to which his body had been damaged. He lost most of his agility, and instead, he had to rely on brute force and his enhanced physical strength.

Anakin steps up to join him, and for the first time, Vader sees a flicker of unease in Dooku's brown eyes. He relishes that fear, drawing it in and letting it fuel him. The two of them pounce as one, lunging towards Dooku and forcing him to back away as he struggles to keep their blades at bay. The duel has lasted for barely a minute, and he already knows that he's losing. Vader's knowledge is extensive, and he shares it freely with Anakin, letting the younger draw off his expertise so as to improve his own skills. They are, Vader suddenly, a dyad in the Force.

A Force dyad is a rare, virtually unheard of, connection between two Force sensitive individuals. It's a bond that spans time and space, one which, according to the legends, can never be broken. The two individuals are bonded so closely that they are practically one. It's a bittersweet moment for Vader when he realizes it because it means that if one of them dies, the other will as well. Neither of them will ever have to fear losing the other, but at the same time, it means that Anakin's lifespan will be drastically shortened. They might be sons of the Force, but Vader is well aware that he's dying, albeit slowly. There's only so long that his body will be able to continue functioning only on machines. It is possible that he may not life for more than four – maybe five – decades, which is a long time, all things considered, though not for them. If not for Vader's injuries, both of them would live well over a hundred years.

Anakin senses those thoughts, and he sends a quiet wave of reassurance to Vader through the Force as they close in on Dooku, not giving him even a second to recover himself. The Count raises a hand, throwing Anakin backwards, slamming him into a wall hard enough to momentarily stun him. His control over telekinesis has always been admirable, but it will only postpone the inevitable. Vader blocks Dooku's upwards strike, parrying his next couple blows in quick succession.

Even between the two of them, the Count is outmatched. He's elderly, and while Vader's body has been ruined, his endurance is far greater. Dooku ducks under Vader's return strike, bringing his own blade up and scoring a blow on Vader's left arm. It doesn't really hurt – there's no flesh there which can be hurt – but it does damage the mechanism of his prosthetic, sending a stab of pain through his arm as the wires short-circuit.

Dooku takes advantage of his momentary distraction, throwing a Force shove at him. Vader skids backwards, lifting his helmet as he looks at Dooku with narrowed eyes. He barely has a chance to register the bolts of electricity arcing towards him – knowing he'll never be able to raise his blade in time – as Anakin flips in front of him, igniting his blue lightsaber and catching the lightning, blocking it. Had he been even one second slower – Vader doesn't want to think about the consequences. Sidious has only ever electrocuted him in punishment; Dooku is lashing out to kill.

By the time Vader as regained his footing, Anakin is all over Dooku, attacking him with a powerful, blinding anger. It's controlled, though barely, and it's almost touching how protective Anakin is over him. Dooku backs into the stairs, stumbling as he realizes that he can no longer back away from the whirlwind of fury that is Anakin Skywalker. Anakin uses that distraction, pushing the Count backwards with the Force and driving his blue blade through the Sith's chest as he falls. Dooku retaliates, electrocuting Anakin and sending him flying backwards as he dies.

Vader watches the life drain from Dooku's body before approaching Anakin, holding out a hand to pull him back to his feet. Anakin takes it gratefully, holding it for longer than is strictly necessary as he tries to bring himself back under control, breathing heavily.

"It's over," Anakin states, almost as if in a daze. He's likely in shock; Dooku has long been a thorn in the side of the Jedi – and Anakin, in particular – so it will take time for his death to fully sink in. "He's dead."

"Yes," Vader agrees, satisfaction and pride swelling up, crashing over both of them. He wraps his Force signature around Anakin's, cocooning him protectively in the Force. "Well done, Anakin." Anakin's answering smile – small, sincere, and happy – makes a thrill of pleasure rush through Vader, his counterpart's giddiness making him feel uncharacteristically positive. It's... an odd feeling, one he hasn't experienced in far too long, but it's not an unwelcome one either. He – he could get used to this.