Chapter 2 - Preparations
Dagobah looks the same as when Luke left. There's hardly time for this detour right now but he didn't have a choice. He promised Yoda he would come back so he's going to fulfill that promise. He sent Camie back to the Rebellion with Leia and Han. She should be fine there in the time he's gone. No one was following them when they left Tatooine. At least he doesn't think so. Something hadn't felt right in the Force but he didn't see anything.
What Luke really isn't expecting is how... old Yoda looks now. He's dying, isn't he? A desperate denial clenches in his gut as he watches him. This can't be happening. And Yoda is over eight hundred years old or something. He can't die now.
"Something happened while I was away," Luke starts.
"Troubles you, it does, hmm?" Yoda muses, stick thumping on the ground as he moves across the hut. The way he's moving, it's like he hardly can anymore. Luke tries not to think about the uncomfortableness tight in his chest as he watches.
"Yes. I think there might be another Sith Lord out there. Not one of the two we know of."
Force. He needs to find out if what Vader said was true. In his wildest desperate moments, he'd wondered if it was a lie but –
"Search your feelings. You know it to be true."
He knows it's true but he still has no idea what to think of that. He's had half a year to process that but he still doesn't know how to even begin handling it. He worshipped his father from the time he was a child, wanted to be like him, but he's fighting for the Empire. He also used to be a hero so what changed?
"Another Sith you say, hmm?" the Jedi master inquires, but the way his ears twitch downwards, he's obviously worried about it. "What know you of this Sith?"
"Not much," Luke admits, "One of my friends says he's after her. He's somewhere in Wild Space and he's been alive for decades."
Yoda's expression grows grimmer. "Great the darkness in the Force has been for many years. More Sith alive than we thought, little surprise it is. A test for you to confront, this Sith will be. Destroyed they must be. The last of the Jedi are you."
He knows that and he feels like he's ready for it but this isn't a Sith he knows anything about. Something about the mere mention has made him extremely uneasy. "I don't know how powerful he is," Luke says.
"In the Force, your strength is. From themselves, the Sith find their strength. Be with you, the Force will be," Yoda replies.
It's a reassurance at least even if it doesn't tell him much about how to deal with the Sith Lord. But maybe the Sith won't see Luke coming either since the Jedi are believed to be destroyed.
Maybe.
**w**
"Vader. You must face Vader."
"Your father he is."
"I can't kill my own father."
"Then the Emperor has already won."
"Leia! Leia is my sister."
"Bury your feelings deep down, Luke. They do you credit but they could be made to serve the Emperor."
His mind is still whirling by the time he gets back to the Alliance base to see that it's already in session.
Voices are filtering in when Luke steps into the room. He stands at the back so he doesn't cause a distraction as he listens to the details of how they need to destroy this Death Star. Lando's going to be leading an aircrew to do it and Han will be taking ground troops onto Endor to destroy the shield generator that protects it. The Empire is definitely taking their failure on the last one seriously but at least this time they shouldn't see the attack coming until it's too late.
"My team's ready," Han announces, "I don't have a command crew for the shuttle."
Chewbacca growls in instant agreement, raising a furry paw.
Luke pushes his way through the crowd towards them.
"Well, it's gonna be rough pal. I didn't wanna speak for you," Han replies.
"General? Count me in," Leia adds with a bright smile. She looks so happy unlike she has in the entire time Han was gone. She was always so bitter, even before he was lost, but she seems to be in far better spirits now.
"I'm with you too!" Luke calls, approaching.
Now that he's close enough to them, he can see Camie sitting next to Leia. They all stand when he approaches.
Leia brightens, stepping up to him and pulling him into a hug. He returns it tightly.
She's his sister.
He has a twin sister.
Finally he can put a label on the connection he's always felt towards her. She felt important from the moment he first saw her but he never understood what it meant. He's never had a sibling before so that's probably why he had no idea it would feel like this. She deserves to know. He just doesn't know how to go about telling her that Vader is her father, too.
He still can't believe Ben lied to him about that. Or that Yoda never told him.
Yoda who is also dead now. A sharp pang runs through him at the memory, remembering as he watched his body disappear forever.
"What is it?" Leia queries, frowning.
Now really isn't the time to get into it. "Ask me again sometime," Luke replies, stepping back.
Camie is watching them, something assessing in her gaze.
"Could I come too?" she inquires.
"You know how to use a blaster?" Luke asks, a little surprised.
"Of course I do. I haven't used one since I left Tatooine but I had training before then."
"Even a little help is still help," Leia offers.
"You can come," Luke agrees. He was admittedly hoping he could convince her to join, after he heard she was sympathetic to the cause. But he has to make sure she actually knows how to fight first. This isn't like fighting off Tatooine gangsters. It's war. "Why don't we see what you remember while we have time? It'll take the fleet a little bit to be ready to go."
**w**
"You've got good aim," Luke observes, watching as Camie practices with the blaster. Being with her this much is reminding him so much of when he grew up on Tatooine and of the time they spent together. Of the relatively close friendship they used to have. He thinks he missed her more than he once thought.
"Thanks," she says a little breathlessly, lowering her blaster, "But I bet it's not as good as yours If you're really a Jedi."
"Maybe. I don't practice shooting much."
"What's being a Jedi like?" she inquires curiously. It's not that blatant hero worship he gets from the other rebels who ask about it. It sounds like genuine curiosity. It's strange to hear someone asking him this like he's still an actual person not just a hero. "I thought the Jedi had all kinds of weird mystical rules about things. It always seemed kind of weird to me. No offense."
He smiles in mild amusement. He found it as weird as he did intriguing when Ben was first teaching him. "We have to use the Force in a certain way and that means emotional control. Knowing where to put priorities even if your friends are in danger. But I have to do that as a rebel, anyway." He pauses, unable to help thinking back to Yoda's last words. "I'm the last of the Jedi now. It's my duty to pass on what I've learned now. I... wish I wasn't the only Jedi out there who could do that." He has full confidence that he can do it but it's still lonely sometimes when he's the only one who knows anything about the Force.
Leia has it though, doesn't she? She must be as strong in the Force as he is.
"That sounds lonely," Camie agrees, "Have you ever thought about what you're going to do when all this is over."
"...What?"
"This fight with the Empire will have to end someday, right? Ever dreamed about what you'll do after that?"
"I... haven't thought about it much," Luke confesses. There's not time, especially not recently when he's been so focused on practicing as a Jedi and trying to rescue Han. "We don't even know when it's going end at this point. But once it does, I... need to find more Jedi to train."
"More duties?" she asks dryly, "When did you become so responsible?"
"A lot's changed," he reminds, a little amused. He's not the careless nineteen-year-old he used to be. And when he's finally gotten a chance to a life off Tatooine, he can't say he really misses it.
"Have you ever thought about what you'll do beyond duty?" she presses.
"What do you mean?"
"Like – Anything. You know. Going back to school. Maybe even starting a family. Seems like it would be so... empty to do nothing but fight with nothing to look forward to at the end."
He's never really thought about it like that before. Maybe sometimes but... "I don't know," he admits, "I've never thought about it much."
She nods a little, still watching him. There's that lingering look in her eyes again, the same one he saw on Tatooine.
It reminds him a little of – of the thoughts he once entertained when he was younger even if he was never serious. He doesn't even know why he's thinking about that suddenly or maybe it's just that Camie does have points. And it's been a long time he got to talk to someone other than Han or Leia or Chewbacca who actually saw him as a person. Who he could actually be a person around.
He doesn't really have the attention to give for something other than duty but he can't say that he'd... mind. But that's hardly important right now. They need to be preparing to leave for Endor.
Leia approaching draws Luke's attention away.
All his mind can repeat every moment he sees her this is his sister. Of course she's always meant everything to him. Still hard to believe he has living family members other than his father.
His father who is still alive, and – Vader.
Who Ben and Yoda want him to kill.
And he can't. He can't. How could he?
He's always dreamed of having a father. He can't just kill him. Not for any reason. Even if Luke knows well the kinds of things he's done.
"You told me to ask you later what was troubling you. Unless this isn't a good time," Leia begins, her eyes full of warmth and so Leia.
She's his sister.
Luke sighs. "I was visiting Master Yoda," he explains, "He's... dead now."
Leia's expression softens and she touches his arm. "I'm sorry."
He nods. "I'm the only Jedi left now."
"Well, you still have us even if we aren't Jedi," she offers, smiling.
But she could be a Jedi. He barely holds himself back from saying it. He needs to tell her. She deserves to know but now isn't the time. Not – not right now.
"Han's almost got the ship ready. We should get to the hanger," Leia advises. She lingers a few moments longer before moving away.
Luke's gaze follows her, unable to stop thinking about what he needs to be telling her. He just needs to figure out how.
Camie looks between him and Leia again. He doesn't quite know why she keeps eyeing them whenever they're together.
Not like it's too important.
"Is there something else?" Camie inquiries, studying him.
That she noticed startles him a little. He doesn't know that he should say anything to her. But... he could tell her without names, some of it at least. He can't stop thinking about how Yoda and Ben are both insisting that he kill his father and he can't. And –
"Yes," Luke admits, "This isn't something anyone can know about it. I haven't talked about it to anyone... except Chewbacca."
Leia and Chewie had been the only ones with him after Cloud City, in the worst aftermath of what happened there. He couldn't try to tell Leia but the times when Chewbacca wasn't out looking for Han, he'd... talked to him once. Hadn't said names but he'd told him that he was pretty sure one of his parents was with the Empire. The Wookie had just cuddled him which hadn't changed a whole lot but Chewie's rather aggressive hugs are more help than a lot of things, honestly.
"What?" Camie asks.
"We're... more similar than I thought," he starts awkwardly, "I was also taken to Tatooine to be kept safe. From the Emperor. I'm strong in the Force and he wants me gone."
"Wow," she says, eyes widening, "Wait – you're adopted too?"
"My aunt and uncle are related to me," he confirms, "I was told my parents were dead but – it was a lie. My father is still alive but he's with the Empire now."
"Imperial?" Camie echoes, surprised, "Does he know that you're with the Rebellion? Have you met him?"
"I only met him once and we... fought. When I was growing up, I always saw him as a hero. I never thought he was – was with the Empire."
She looks contemplative. "Many people have become stormtroopers for... the benefits offered by the Empire or because they didn't see much other choice," she muses, "Have you asked him why he's with the Empire?"
"No," Luke admits, "I never had the chance. I was too... caught off-guard by it at the time." But maybe he should. It's true that he has no idea what made Anakin make the choices he did. All he's thought repeatedly about is whether or not there was a way to get him back, to make him Anakin again. Because if he used to be a hero, Luke can't imagine all of that was gone.
"I doubt the sidelines make it easy but I thought half the Rebellion is former Imperials who have walked out," she says, patting his arm.
He offers her a small smile. "That's true. I'll think about it."
He already has thought about it but now...
He'll try. Whenever the chance arises again. He has to find a way.
**w**
Something is wrong. Luke can't place what it is but now that they're in hyperspace on the way to Endor he can't stop thinking about it. Especially because he thinks it does have to do with the mission. He finally excuses himself from the cockpit to find a quiet place where he can meditate the way Yoda taught him, trying to sense something.
Now that he's lost in the currents of the Force, he senses... the Dark Side?
It feels cold and prickly and it's not like Vader. It's something that's not quite as powerful – Vader felt like a black hole in the Force, even if he was somehow so brilliant at the same time. This is dark and twisted and he doesn't know what it is but it –
Is that the Sith Lord who's after Camie? Or is it the Emperor? He has no idea but it feels – It's concerning. And it's a disturbance in the Force that's spreading rapidly.
Flashes spin in front of his eyes suddenly.
Something in a forest somewhere.
Leia yelling his name.
Camie screaming.
Chewbacca growling.
Han yelling something indecipherable.
And then the sound of mechanical breathing and a strangled scream that sounds a little too human to be droid like but it's –
Is that his father?
And above that all he hears the sound of gleeful cackling.
Luke jolts out of his meditative trance with a gasp,
What was that?
Something's going to happen – it reminds him of the visions he had of Cloud City. Is Camie going to be hurt?
And his father. That was his father and was he hurt? Why would he be seeing a vision of that? Is he in danger? Is something going to happen to him?
Is his father going to be on Endor?
Force, that would be bad. He wants to see him again but it would make the mission to destroy the Death Star nearly impossible and...
Anxiety floods him full force. He was confident about the mission until right now.
"Is something wrong?" Camie asks.
He looks up, startled, to see her hovering in the doorway.
"I think something's going to happen," he replies seriously, "Something is... going to go wrong."
Alarm flickers through her eyes. "What do you mean? You can feel that?"
"Yes. I had a vision of sorts. I saw something in the future. I don't know what it is. But I think it may... have to do with the Sith who's after you." He doesn't want to scare her but she deserves to know so she can be prepared.
Her expression flickers with fear. "You think he's going to get to me?"
Camie's cry and Vader's scream echoes through Luke's mind again. Anxiety rolls in his gut. "I don't know but I'll be there, whatever happens." That's the most he can offer.
She sits down next to him, expression tight. "I wish I knew what they wanted," she says, frustrated.
He can say the same. He doesn't want anything to happen to her, whatever's going on. "Well, if they try coming to us, I suppose we'll find out," Luke muses.
She nods, reaching out and taking his hand.
He stills at the unexpectedness of the gesture.
The feeling that flutters inside of him isn't something he quite knows what to – to think of. It makes him think suddenly of what she was saying about a future after the war is over – there's a chance the war is about to end right after this mission, if the Emperor is really on the Death Star when they take it out.
He's never thought seriously about that kind of thing before. Can't say how much he cares to now but with Camie right here, it's...
He'll think about it later. After the mission is over.
She doesn't pull away from him, though, not until the alarms go off signaling they're coming out of hyperspace.
**w**
Han and Leia are debating whether or not the price they paid for get the information about this was worth it, as they fly in towards the Death Star but Luke's mind is far away. That cold, dark disturbance in the Force hasn't faded even if it's been hours and –
And that's when Luke senses something else.
The Force presence that's more brilliant than anything Luke's ever felt yet as dark as a black hole. It's a sends a tingly hyper-rush through him at the metaphysical sensation from the sheer overwhelmingness of it but what floods him next is fear.
Vader.
It's his father. His father is here.
Oh Force this is not good.
"Vader's here," Luke breaths. And that means he knows Luke is coming and that's pretty much the end of their surprise attack. Luke tries to close his mind off, but Vader keeps reaching for him, prodding at his Force presence even if he's refusing to respond. There's no way he doesn't know that he's here. And that means he'll know they're coming.
It also means that maybe what he saw of the future is closer to transpiring than he thought.
"Don't get jittery, Luke. There's a lot of command ships here," Han chides.
If only he was imagining it.
But – even if Vader didn't know he's here, it's going to also make the mission a lot more difficult with Vader here. They can't deal with him if they're trying to get this taken out quickly. Vader nearly shot him down over the last Death Star.
And Luke... doesn't believe he would ever do that this time, but that doesn't mean he wouldn't find some way to stop them.
"I'm endangering the mission. I shouldn't have come" Luke murmurs.
"It's your imagination, kid," Han insists, "Come on. Let's keep a little optimism here."
"Who's Vader?" Camie asks.
The question is so obvious that it freezes Luke's brain for a moment. But to be fair, it's only known for Rebellion figures. It's not like Vader is famous.
"Tall scary guy with wacko wizard powers worse than Luke's," Han supplies, "You'll know him when you see him."
Seriously?
Luke can feel Camie's eyes on him, though. She's probably wondering if this is the 'Imperial' he was talking about it. Now's not the time to get into that, though.
They finally get clearance to keep moving and that only makes Luke even more anxious. Vader knows they're here but he's letting them on anyway.
Which probably means he's going to come after them in person.
**w**
The mission on Endor's surface goes smoother than it could have. Luke hasn't sensed Vader again yet but that doesn't mean much.
Having to deal with Imperial scouts was expected. Leia going missing was not. He, Han, Camie, Chewbacca and the droids go in search of her, scouting through the trees where the fight happened. They aren't getting anywhere and he's getting more worried by the second. Where could she be?
"You can't sense her?" Camie queries, pausing next to him.
"I can sense that she's alive," Luke replies, frustrated. But he can't tell where she is or if she's in danger right now. If she was captured by the Empire, he wouldn't necessarily know until something happened and –
That's when he suddenly senses something else. There's someone –
He whips around right as a blaster shot flies right over his head. Except the figure dodging behind the nearby tree with a blaster is not a stormtrooper.
It's one of those same masked figures who were on Tatooine.
What –
How?!
Camie sucks in a sharp breath beside him and Luke pushes her behind him, mostly concealing her in the leaves as he draws his lightsaber. How did they get here? No one should have been able to get on planet without getting past the Empire's security so unless these people are working for the Empire... But that doesn't make sense either because then why wouldn't they just send stormtroopers after them?
Han and Chewbacca start shooting back and Luke moves to stand in front of them, deflecting the blaster shots away when the masked men keep shooting. There are only four of them out here but he doesn't dare breathe a sigh of relief even as the last one hits the ground.
"How did they get here?" Camie asks, desperately.
Luke touches her shoulder in reassurance. "I don't know but stay close." They need answers now. None of this makes sense. They're obviously missing something huge, which he really doesn't have time to be worrying about when they need to be finding Leia but that's when his gaze falls on the insignia on their shoulders again and another idea hits him.
"Threepio? Does that symbol have any meaning to you?"
"Me?" the droid asks, waddling forward to look at it. He sort of tilts his head – and body – the way he often does when doing calculations. "Why yes, Master Luke."
"What is it?" Camie asks.
"It is a symbol mentioned in historical records from millennia ago. The information about it is scarce now but in the Qel-Droma Epics about the Great Hyperspace War in 5000 BBY, this symbol was used by an Empire that fought to seize control of the galaxy."
Wait.
A symbol from five thousand years ago?
That doesn't seem quite right. He's definitely missing something. This Sith isn't from that long ago, is he?
"Do you know what the symbol means?" Luke demands.
"I am afraid I do not. But it has great resemblance to a long-extinct species known as the Sith."
"Wait – the species is called Sith?" Since when was that a thing...?
"I believe so, Master Luke."
"I thought that was a group of crazy Force users," Camie protests.
"I am afraid I'm not quite sure. Information on that has been all but removed from records," Threepio replies.
So aside from the Death Star and Vader, they might also be dealing with some ancient Sith species which may or may not be the same thing?
"There's no time for this right now," Luke says, sighing, "Come on. We need to find Leia."
Chewbacca growls suddenly, taking off and the others give chase. Luke thought it was something important. He didn't expect to end up dangling from the top of a tree in a net, smushing against Chewbacca and Camie.
The day keeps getting better, doesn't it?
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