Some days, it was almost like he could smell the sweet, fresh air of Naboo if he focused enough on his memories. Years had gone by since he had visited where he grew up, and as his days in the palace blended together he wondered often if he'd ever have a chance to return.
Closing his eyes, he breathed deeply, feeling as the fresh air filled his lungs. Opening them, he found himself in the forests of Naboo with the fireflies floating through the trees. The image was so vivid he almost believed himself to actually be there.
Oh. Wait.
That's because he was on Naboo.
XX Twenty-Four Hours Earlier XX
Stepping back, Luke wiped his hands on the rag he had been polishing his ship with, the metal gleaming under the hangar lights. No one would recognize it for the scrap heap it had been just six months before.
Tensing, Luke felt as both Admiral Piett and Obi-wan Kenobi approached him, recognizing the Force signatures instantly.
"It looks as good as new."
Piett was standing at attention, his arms crossed neatly behind his back. Piett remained a respectful distance away, seeming as uncertain about approaching Luke as Luke felt about being approached.
"Yes, you've done good work, haven't you, young one?" Obi-wan strode up like he was simply on a stroll, breaking things up before the mood could become awkward.
"Thank you."
Coughing, Piett held out a report to Luke. "I just came to tell you that everyone will be arriving tomorrow morning. I thought perhaps I could plan a breakfast for everyone."
Hesitantly, Luke took the pad. In three days, they would be hosting the first ever meeting for the new Imperial Senate, a huge stepping stone for relinquishing part of the empire's command over to the galaxy. Obi-wan had arrived back just the week before in preparation, and Leia, Han, and Chewie would be arriving tomorrow as representatives of the New Alliance.
"Yes. That would be nice."
Bowing, Piett dismissed himself.
Obi-wan clapped a hand on Luke's shoulders as they both watched the Admiral walk away. "You know, he saved your life."
This was about more than just Piett saving Luke, and Luke knew it. Still, it felt too hard to admit that he needed to let go of the grudge he was currently holding against the man. "I know."
"Do you?"
Something inside Luke seemed to snap. The patience he normally upheld had been contained for too long, the anguish he'd been ignoring overflowing and drowning his patience. "Of course I do. But I live in a world where a man had to decide between saving the father or saving the son. And if my father had lived, then I would have had to probably end his life with my own hand. There was no winning from the beginning."
Obi-wan was about to interrupt, but Luke continued like he didn't notice. "Don't get me wrong – Darth Vader was not a good man. But I still believe Anakin Skywalker was trapped somewhere inside, otherwise, I wouldn't be alive."
"Luke, I'm sorry." For the first time, the Jedi Master seemed surprised by Luke's reaction.
"Are you? Isn't everyone? Everyone is so quick to offer their apologies, but no one asked me if I wanted to take the role of Emperor. I woke up ruling a galaxy that had been thrust into chaos, having to deal with everyone's problems without a single regard to myself."
"Luke-"
Heart racing, Luke began to pace, unable to stop. "And when I say the one thing I want is to fix my ship, everyone is afraid that I'll run away when she's fixed."
A hand came sharply across Luke's cheek, his eyes finally focused on the very concerned gaze of Obi-wan. "Luke, breathe."
Crumbling, Luke sat down, focusing on slowing his breathing. Apparently, he had been more wound than he had initially realized.
"Young one, I am sorry about your father. I prayed every day that your father wouldn't find you..."
Obi-wan continued, but Luke was stuck. When Obi-wan finished, Luke licked his lips slowly. "What do you mean, that he wouldn't find me? The first time we met…" Luke trailed off. "You gave me his lightsaber."
Suddenly, it all made a sickening sort of sense. "You told me the Force just happened to tell you to give me the blade...but you knew. You knew who Anakin Skywalker had become, and you knew he was my father the whole time. You could have warned my family – you could have told my Aunt and Uncle!"
"Luke -"
"No...it's your fault! It's your fault they died! If you had just told me, I could have prepared myself for the choices I would have to make!"
"Luke! I…" Obi-wan trailed off, but had succeeded in silencing Luke. "I...I'm sorry. I didn't expect the Inquisitors...I told them you were the child of Anakin Skywalker and Padme Amidala, but I never told them what happened to Anakin…"
Tears fell freely from Obi-wan's eyes.
"Leave. Now." Luke ordered, turning away from Obi-wan entirely.
"Young one-"
"Get out!" Luke used enough power in his voice that Obi-wan stumbled back several steps, a ripple of wind echoing through the hangar. Several of Luke's guards rushed through the doors, alarmed.
"Everyone out. I'm not to be disturbed." Luke put the Force behind his order, something he wouldn't normally do. The guards filed out and shut the doors along with Obi-wan, leaving Luke entirely alone in the hangar bay.
Not a single tear fell from his eyes as Luke stood, feeling oddly at peace. It was like Obi-wan's final secret had been the declaration Luke needed to justify his own feelings.
Striding over to the computer, Luke quickly typed in the override codes that he'd swiped off Piett weeks ago.
Tomorrow, his friends would come, and find their fears come true.
Boarding his ship, Luke felt like he was watching himself as he started the engines, the familiar sound lulling him back into the past.
Back before he had become an Emperor.
Back before he knew he had a father.
Back before his entire family had died.
Still, it was truly not surprising that as soon as he hit deep space that his comm started going off with messages from the palace. Turning it off completely, Luke set the coordinates he had kept memorized since his childhood and sent the ship into hyperspace.
XX Present XX
That was how he had ended up here on Naboo, parked in front of his family's home. Pooja had hired a service to keep the house maintained, but even she rarely returned here.
Refusing to even entertain the idea of entering the house, Luke made his way around the back where the family memorial was.
Padme...Anakin...Sola...Darred…Ryoo.
Luke had never seen the names of his Aunt, Uncle, and cousin listed. They had put his parents names up on the memorial when he was just a babe so he'd remember them, but now he wished he'd never known of his parents. Of course, even if he'd thought Sola and Darred were his real parents, it would never have stopped what happened. Perhaps even if Obi-wan had warned them of Vader, it would have done nothing to warn them of the Inquisitors.
Walking away from the memorial, Luke turned and made his way out into the forests, surrounding himself in the pines. Fireflies floated aimlessly around him as he walked, attracted by the Force that seemed to hum from his very core.
"I'm sorry, Aunt Sola...I tried so hard to be the light this galaxy needed, but I'm just not sure I can be anymore." Sighing, Luke plopped himself down on the ground, laying back so he could stare up at the stars between the tree branches. "I wish I had you to talk to. You always had the answer."
"Well, I'm sorry I'm not your Aunt, but maybe I'll do?"
Startled, Luke sat back up, turning to see a man haloed in blue to his right. "Who...Father?" It was hard to tell because Luke had never seen his father's face before, only the mask of Vader. The man smiled back at him, Luke studying the figure carefully. The longer he looked, the more he saw. The eyes were identical, and even the color of their hair was so similar Luke wondered how Vader hadn't just seen Luke and known.
"Hello, son."
"How are you here?"
"Because you needed me." Anakin cryptically offered.
Scoffing, Luke stood up. "Do you have any idea what I've been through? The absolute mess I've had to sort out – and only now I need you? Only now that I've finally escaped it all, now you think I could use some advice?"
"I'm sorry, Luke. I really am. I didn't think you were ready to see me before. But you cannot give up now. The senate meeting is only a first step – it will be many years before the Empire fully submits to the Republic once more, and until then they need someone in power who won't take advantage of it." Flabbergasted, not once had Vader ever begged anything of Luke before. It was hard from him to remember the ghost before him now was the same man claiming to be his father before.
"I've almost died twice now from assassination attempts. I cannot see my friends easily because of my position, nor even my own flesh and blood cousin. Of course, all my friends have their own opinions on how I should run things and on what choices I should make. Everyone is after my power – I am no longer Luke Skywalker, but Emperor Skywalker, and I have no idea who that man is." Curling his fingers into fists, Luke wished he could take a swing, but it would be pointless.
"Luke, no matter what name you choose to carry, you will always be yourself. No one can take that from you just from changing your name or title. I came because I wanted you to know how sorry I was that I left you in this position, but your mother and I are so proud...of both of you." Tears were streaming down Anakin's face.
"So you know Leia's your daughter now?"
"Yes."
"Do you regret it?" The same question he had asked Obi-wan Kenobi so many months ago. The one where Obi-wan could not say if Vader could change or not.
Yet this man's eyes shone with pain. "Yes. All of it. If I had never even met your mother, she would probably still be alive and both you and your sister would not be in such pain. But I do not regret you. I love you. I just regret being the cause of all your suffering."
"Obi-wan and Piett...they've been lying to me."
"Sometimes the truth hurts worse than ignorance. But remember that everything they've kept from you was my fault. When I turned to the dark side, I forced everyone around me to make decisions they never imagined they'd have to."
"So you still want me to go back? You want me to just forget everything and still be Emperor?"
"I know you are tired, my son. But if you can find the strength to continue, I know you will be the light this galaxy has long needed."
Crying, Luke slowly shook his head. "I don't know how to feel."
"Life is not all about feelings, Luke. Whenever you feel lost, remember you have many good people to fall back on, even if they too sometimes make the wrong choices. Never forget that no matter how alone you feel, you are never on your own."
Fading away into the night, Anakin disappeared back into the nature which he had come forth from, Luke sitting back down in utter silence long after he faded away.
XX
In the morning, Luke was checking over his ship when he heard the sound of engines overhead. Glancing up, he sighed deeply at the sight of the Falcon coming into land beside his ship. Another Imperial ship also flew over to land, Luke recognizing Piett's force signature aboard along with his guards. It was not a surprise that they had managed to find him; if he had not wanted to be found, he would have had to have left hours ago.
Han and Leia disembarked first.
"Luke! Do you have any idea how worried we've all been?" Rushing over, Leia engulfed him in a hug, Luke feeling instant relief at having his sister back at his side.
"I'm sorry."
Han came along slower. "Are you?" It wasn't asked with malicious intent, but rather with concern. Han wanted the answer to a different question entirely.
Smiling gently, Luke nodded. "Yes, I overreacted. I'm sorry that I caused such a stir."
Han was eerily quiet, his words from that night months ago ringing in Luke's ears. Coming forward, Han plopped a hand on Luke's shoulder. "I meant what I said before, Luke. You don't need to run off on your own. Even if that's what you decide to do, Chewie and I will always be there. The Alliance would take you in as well in a heartbeat, so don't ever just run off, alright?"
Nodding, Luke wondered why he had ever doubted.
Glancing back at his ship, he was oddly glad that his father had destroyed it. If not, Luke would most definitely have run and not looked back before without even a second thought. But in the time he had been forced to be Emperor, he had also learned how much his family cared for him.
Admiral Piett arrived to hear Han's last sentence. "Your Majesty…"
Gulping, Luke turned to Piett. "Admiral. I apologize for running away." Luke hoped that his apology also encompassed his recent estrangement of the Admiral, though he knew he would have to apologize again later.
Another person came to join the group, Obi-wan approaching slowly like he was trying not to scare off a wild animal. "Young one…"
Smiling, Luke nodded towards him slowly. "I'm sorry, Obi-wan. I realized last night that we have all been placed in impossible positions."
"I suppose we have. No matter what we do now, we cannot change the past, can we? Now, we have very little time if we are to return to the palace for the meeting."
With Luke found, the pressing matter of the meeting in just two days came to the forefront of everyone's minds. They should have been back at the palace preparing, and it would still be several hours before they made it back to Coruscant.
Piett boarded with Luke as well as two of Luke's guards, everyone else boarding their own ships for the return journey.
"Your Majesty, I wanted to apologize-"
Luke cut him off before he could finish, raising both his hands. Though apprehensive, Piett allowed Luke to speak first. "Piett, thank you. I'm sorry that I've taken my emotions out on you; like I told Obi-wan, we were all placed in impossible positions, but especially you."
Nodding, Piett relaxed, relief flooding Luke's way from the Force.
Entering the coordinates for Coruscant, Luke reassured himself that everything would be fine as he and his escorts took to space, entering hyperspace.
XX Two days later XX
Dressed to the nines, Emperor Luke Naberrie Amidala Skywalker strode confidently into his booth, Obi-wan Kenobi and Admiral Piett sitting beside him.
Han, Leia, and Chewie were sitting inside the New Alliance's booth, and Pooja was inside Naboo's. All of them gave Luke confident smiles as he for the first time addressed the new Imperial Galactic Senate.
"I, Emperor Skywalker, welcome you here to day to our first official meeting of the Imperial Galactic Senate. To begin…"
It had been a long journey for him to arrive at this moment. The boy from nearly two years ago now just looking into the masked eyes of his father for the first time would have been a stranger to him should they have met on the street now. Despite the hardships he was about to face, he would do so with a confidence befitting an Emperor until the galaxy no longer trusted him to do so.
The galaxy needed him now – not as Luke Skywalker or Shadow, but as Emperor Skywalker. And as long as he was needed, he would stay.