Disclaimer: this is not my story, but one my boyfriend wrote and I then edited and posted (with his permission of course). Like they say, two heads are better than one. Enjoy!

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He caught a glimpse of a pale, disfigured face in the polished wall of his meditation chamber. Yellow eyes full of hate glared back, anticipating the next mission he was to attend to at the bidding of his dark master: the forest moon of Endor.

Suddenly, outside the chamber, he felt an overwhelming dark presence and quickly lowered his helmet to cover the scarred and ruined mess that was his face, opening the chamber with the expectation of seeing his master. He absently wondered how the Sith lord could have arrived so quickly- or why he felt the need to come at all- when they had just spoken over the transmission an hour ago, but as Vader's eyes focused on the dark figure in front of him he realized this was not his master. The shadowed form was too tall, too proud, yet also too powerful to be one of his Inquisitors or assassins.

Could it somehow be Galen Marek back from the dead? Fear gripped the dark lord's heart. Only with his master's help had they been able to defeat his apprentice after he'd almost effortlessly cut through the entirety of the Imperial defense of the first Death Star- and his master was currently in his throne room on the second. Then again, victory over Starkiller had only been possible through the effective but cowardly tactics Lord Sidious was so famous for after Galen turned his back on them. All it took was one moment of weakness- showing mercy to the late and overly noble Bail Organa and Rahm Kota.

He was going to die. Vader rose to his full intimidating height and drew his lightsaber knowing it was in vain, the weapon useless against the lightning that was about to finish what Obi-Wan could not.

But he wasn't going to be destroyed without a fight.

He braced himself, waiting reflexively in a defensive stance, but the lightning never came. The ominous red glow of his lightsaber weakly illuminated the fact that the figure was wearing a mask, an equally bloody dark red and Mandalorian in design. Galen hated masks- but what bounty hunter could be so strong? The best he knew was Fett, and even then he had no Force connection despite possessing skill with a lightsaber. Moreover it couldn't be Fett: he always paid him well for his services, and if Vader's Imperial spies were correct he was also on a one-way trip through the guts of a sarlacc.

No, this… thing… was different. The longer it stood before him the more Vader could feel its power swell and fill the space. But amid the darkness was, strangely enough… light? And with it came a profound sense of familiarity. For a moment he felt like the boy on Tatooine meeting the seemingly invincible Master Qui-Gon Jinn for the first time.

"You've come a long way from pod racing. You're good, kid, but I can't say you would have won the galactic championship circuit like I did."

Now he really felt like the boy from Tatooine again. A being of such immense and frightening power approaches and this is what it has to say?

The figure took off its hood and mask to reveal a smiling face covered in scars. "Oh Anakin, you even accidentally copied me, although I happen to prefer my mask without a pesky life support system attached. Call me a minimalist, I suppose."

Vader fought to control his breathing, refusing to allow the anxiety and unease stirring inside of him to show. The tip of the saber raised a few inches almost in challenge. "What- who are you?"

"For you, I'll tolerate 'Gramps'- but just for you. Little Luke still has to earn that right, so don't tell him I told you," the mysterious stranger said with a wink. "Although I would force your barely-legitimate master to call me what I am: the True Dark Lord of the Sith."

Hearing such a powerful figure make such disparaging comments about the Emperor so naturally while seeming to show a subtle care for himself gave Vader an uncharacteristic boost of courage. "Have you come to overthrow the Empire and my master?"

"Back in the day that would have been tempting, but no. This isn't my story and I've already personally run enough Sith empires into the ground, including my own." The strange man gave a matter-of-fact chuckle, but it was one devoid of any humor.

"Then what is your purpose?"

The sarcastic smile faded from his face. "I've come to ask what is left of my family to rethink their ways. If my time living and fighting amongst the Mandalorians has taught me anything in life and death, it is that family is important, Anakin."

"Anakin is dead."

"If that were true I wouldn't be wasting my time here. I may have controlled darkness that your master and his master before him could only dream of, but I died in the light." At that moment his dark robes turned white and his red mask a brilliant gold, the shock of the transformation driving Vader to his knees. "Oh stop that. Use what remains of your legs to stand and face me. I am your family, not your lord, master, or emperor."

Vader obeyed, retracting the blade of his lightsaber and returning it to his belt. "How is this possible?"

The now-white robed figure smiled again. "I find your lack of faith disturbing." The smile faded again. "There is much about this universe that you and many others are woefully unaware of- matters of what takes place after the heart stops beating and eternity begins." The figure frowned for the first time since their meeting began. "If I had known then what I know now I would have lived much of my life differently- and I suspect both you and your master will soon feel the same. Especially your master, since he has already committed to his doom."

At those words the mistakes of Vader's life flashed in his mind's eye with painful clarity. "It is… too late for me."

"Nonsense. Even in a hypothetical universe where a tyrannical corporate mouse crushes childhood nostalgia for profit and makes the greediest Hutt look like a philanthropist in comparison there is still hope for you."

The last comment took Vader by surprise. "A… mouse?"

"Just an example son. Don't think on it too hard or you'll open up what's left of your tear ducts and start crying."

Somehow that made him even more confused, causing the figure to sigh and make a waving motion with his gloved hand. "Disregard that. The point is, deep down in that mind of yours that has been twisted by circumstance, yourself, and others is a conscious. Live up to the light that has been revealed to you, consider your ways, and turn to righteousness. When you meet your son again you will have a choice between darkness and light, life and death- and it will be your last chance, so I beg you to be wise. I am forbidden from revealing much of what I would like to say due to the limited nature of this universe, but know there is more that is beyond our understanding than the entire history of both the Jedi and the Sith archives combined."

Vader was speechless. It was all too much to take in, much less comprehend in such a brief moment.

"It's ironic," the figure continued, "the Sith want to live forever in their own power, but what they don't realize is that they already do, just far apart from how they would prefer."

At this Vader was puzzled, but still he summoned more courage to question, "How so?"

Revan's face took on a look of unimaginable sorrow and pitying kindness. "Do you still recall the flames of Mustafar, my son?"

"They still burn me even now…"

"I toe the line of forbidden information in telling you this: Mustafar is like Hoth and the darkness of Korriban is like a shining star in comparison to the judgment that awaits the wicked. But that is all I will say on the matter. Consider that very carefully."

At that Vader's mind flooded with desperate questions but suddenly he realized he was alone. His ancestor had gone as quickly as he had appeared.

The dark lord was shaken to his core at the encounter, and he flinched when the door swept open and an officer and several stormtroopers charged in.

"Lord Vader, we detected unusual sensory activity in your room. Forgive our intrusion, but we feared for your safety and thought it was an attack."

He waved away the lowly officer's concern. "It was nothing. Leave me now, Lieutenant. I have bigger matters to attend to. And have my shuttle ready to depart for Endor within the hour."

"Yes, my lord." The officer gave a hasty bow and quickly exited the dark room with his men trailing closely behind. If he was still capable of appreciating humor, the relief to still be alive coming off the men in waves would have made Vader laugh. Instead he turned to the nearest window as the door slid shut and lifted the blast shield, gazing off into the field of stars and considering his future.