Hey there everyone! For some reason, I felt really pumped and motivated to write fanfic stories so this chapter comes much sooner than I'm sure anyone would have expected. Just over a week for a chapter is pretty unnatural :)

It was a lot of fun writing this one, Yoda is amongst my favorite characters and the whole arc on Dagobah is great in the OT. He has so many memorable lines that establish to firmly what the Force is etc. I just really love Yoda and all the crazy happenings that take place on his swampy little planet.

Thank you so much for the reception of the last chapter, it truly meant a lot to receive so many supportive comments. Speaking of which, how about we answer them:

-RKF22: Thank you so much! Ask and ye shall receive.

-Guest: That was actually what inspired this moment. I was always blown away by the cutscenes (or short films… not sure) of Star Wars the Old Republic, and the moment where Satale blocks a lightsaber strike was epic! I did some research and it's actually an ability that falls under the same umbrella as Yoda's Force lightning block called Tutaminis. Since Yoda is amongst the most powerful and knowledgeable Jedi to have ever lived, it would indeed make sense for him to have mastered this ability to the point of being able to stop lightsaber blades.

-Jeda31: Thank you so so much! Your praise means a lot, I particularly enjoyed working on this chapter. Yoda is easily one of my favorite characters, how his power and wisdom is unparalleled despite the fact he is technically no longer in his prime. Any time he drops hard truths to his students, whether with words or through actions, always brought me great joy. I hope to allow him to shine bright as the chapters progress, while still staying true to who Yoda is at his core. I hope you enjoy this chapter and thank you for your continuing support.

-mundanebeast: Of course. No matter his age, Yoda will always be the GOAT.

-Bountyhunter1977: I share your sentiments… This version of Luke certainly seems different from his OG counterpart. I hope he will be able to stick to the path…

-JumpingToaster: Vader already knew that Luke was his son, since way back in the early chapters, which feeds his festering resentment towards Obi-Wan.

Alrighty! That's all the reviews for chapter 23, so without further ado, I give you chapter 24. I hope you enjoy it, please follow, favorite and comment if you do, I read every single one. Even if you disliked something, please tell me what and why in a constructive and respectful way. I'm always looking to improve my writing.

Enjoy chapter 24!

Luke focused on his inner peace, clearing his mind of any distractions. The past few days had been such a jumbled mess of emotions it felt strange to experience complete serenity. Luke knew it had something to do with the planet. Dagobah possessed a connection to the Force, unlike anything he had ever felt.

Luke had been meditating for several hours now. He could sense Yoda silently watching him nearby, sensing his feelings as Luke focused more and more on his connection to the Force.

He was able to sense the Force signatures of the animals on Dagobah. He recognized the presence of the large sea creature that had tried to eat R2 in the bog, as well as some large reptiles several miles away. All of these Force presences were becoming sharper, to the point where Luke could even begin to make out the energy within the plants and minerals.

This sensation was completely surreal and foreign to him. Luke had had no idea it was possible to delve so deep within the Force to the point you were able to sense lifeforms that were on the other side of the planet.

"Good…," Yoda whispered slowly. "Delve deeper. Feel the Force's presence around you."

Luke silently obeyed, focusing on the Force presence of a flying creature near them. As he zeroed in on it, his sight began to blur and shift. Luke was unsure what he was being shown until the vision cleared and he made out the wing, snout, and long members of a… Bogwing. The name of the creature suddenly popped into his head even though he's never seen or heard of this species before.

Luke was enthralled by his deepening connection to the Force. He concentrated on the Bogwing and his vision shifted again; he was seeing through its eyes as it soared across the skies of Dagobah.

"Hmmm, very good," Yoda acknowledged, nodding his head reflectively. "A connection to all living things, a Jedi shares. Understand his place among them, a Jedi must."

Luke nodded, keeping his mind focused on his meditation. He shifted his gaze away from the Bogwing's and let the Force guide him across Dagobah, through its foggy marshes and lush forests, encountering all sorts of plants and animals. This freedom and peace was an entirely new dimension of the Force that Luke was discovering.

As Yoda watched his student discover the true grandeur of the Force, he could not help feeling some happiness at seeing Luke progress so well. The feeling that something might go terribly wrong had not left his mind, but right now, he was glad that the young man was learning to appreciate and respect the beauty of the living Force.

"If a Jedi you are to become, know our Code you must," Yoda said. "Taught you Obi-Wan has, hmmm?"

"Yes, master," Luke replied slowly, keeping his eyes closed and his mind on the present task. "It was one of the first things he taught me. I engraved it on a necklace my grandmother used to own so that it would always be with me."

Yoda's ridged brow raised up in surprise. He looked closer at Luke's neck and indeed saw a pendant hanging around it. It represented a beautiful bird in flight, with minuscule writings carved along its back. Each letter was so small it must have taken an untold amount of time and patience to manage to engrave them all so precisely.

Hmmm, patience he possesses, Yoda reflected. But lose track of it easily, he does. Learn to live in the present, he must, if he is to break away from destiny's path…

Yoda returned his attention to Luke, putting aside his worries and focusing on the present. After all, it would not be right if he did not follow his own teachings.

"Repeat the Code, Skywalker," Yoda asked, stepping closer to the young man.

"There is no emotion, there is peace." Luke recited.

He felt the Force's power call to him as he delved deeper and deeper into the life force of Dagobah. Luke was beginning to sense the entire planet's energy.

"There is no ignorance, there is knowledge."

As Luke felt the pulse of the planet beating in his mind, a strange presence, which he had not felt before, called out to him. Somewhere on the planet, he could almost hear a voice speaking to him in his vision.

"There is no passion, there is serenity."

Luke followed the voice, trying to pick up its faint and unreadable Force presence. He was unable to sense anything familiar about it as it led him into a misty grove surrounded by gnarltrees. One of them seemed to have an entrance to a cave between its roots; Luke sensed the voice was calling to him from there. He could almost make out its words…

"There is no… chaos… there is… harmony."

As Luke moved closer to the cave, he felt a strange chill run over his body; a cold feeling that affected his body through his vision. The voice in his head was getting louder; its words growing clearer; its faint Force presence becoming dark and menacing.

A dark energy began to seep out the cave, drawing Luke towards it. He tried to fight against it but it just kept pulling him closer. He could no longer sense any of the Force energy on Dagobah; hid mind was clouded with confusion.

When the voice spoke, its tone was grave and teaming with malice. Its words came straight out of Luke's mouth:

"Through victory, my chains are broken. The Force shall free me—"

Suddenly, Luke's vision of the cave disappeared and he opened his eyes wide, gasping for air as if he'd just held his breath for too long. The cold feeling still lingered on his skin, even as the voice had gone completely silent.

Luke looked up to see Yoda standing over him, his arm extended towards him, an indiscernible look in his eyes. The young man could feel the old master's Force energy wash over him from his outstretched hand, allowing him to bring his emotions back under control and reestablish his connection to the Force which had been severed.

"What was that?" Luke asked slowly, trying to keep himself from shivering.

"The Dark Side," Yoda replied simply as he picked up his gimmer stick. "Temptation is the first step towards following its path. Easy to be seduced by its power."

"But it's here, on Dagobah, I could sense it," Luke wanted to explain what he had just experienced but was struggling to find the right words. "In a cave; under a gnarltree. What was that place?"

"Something all Jedi must face," Yoda replied somberly.

With that, the old master walked back towards his hut to prepare their dinner, while Luke desperately tried to get rid of the goosebumps still tingling on his flesh.

Mara kept a brisk but constant pace as she made her way towards Obi-Wan's cell. It had been risky but she had managed to set the surveillance cameras in his cell to a loop so her presence would not be known.

As she made her way towards the detention center, Mara saw a group of Imperial engineers and soldiers laughing and boasting about a news report they were watching. She already knew what it was; it had been the only news covered on the HoloNet for several days now: the capture of the Jedi Master, Obi-Wan Kenobi.

The Empire's news networks kept showing the infamous picture of Obi-Wan chained down inside his cell, with a missing arm and tubes running in and out of his body. Across many systems, this news had bolstered the confidence of Imperial sympathizers, while news about the Rebel Alliance had slowly dwindled.

Mara finally reached Obi-Wan's cell. After making sure no one was around, she quickly slipped inside and shut the door behind her. Looking towards the imprisoned Jedi, it was not a pretty sight that greeted her. When Obi-Wan looked up towards her, his bright blue eyes were sunken in and had a sickly yellow tint from malnutrition. They no longer held that sparkle and glow which Mara had seen when she first entered his cell. He looked tired and old.

Mara stepped up to the rayshield, allowing Obi-Wan's eyes to focus on her and make out who she was. She could see the ghost of a smile tugging at the corners of his eyes, but with the sith hood covering his mouth, the gesture felt distant and incomplete.

"It is good to see you again," Obi-Wan voice was rasp and hoarse from dehydration; it was barely above a whisper. "I haven't received much company as of late."

"I had to wait until Vader left the Executor," Mara said. "He and Thrawn are focusing their attention on finding your friends on the Millennium Faulcon."

There was silence as Obi-Wan observed Mara thoughtfully.

"Why are you telling me this?" the old Jedi asked.

Mara said nothing as she decided how exactly to phrase what she had been experiencing.

"Ever since I last spoke to you I've been having these… visions," Mara explained slowly. "I was taken from my family at a very young age by the Emperor, I barely remember them. But now, when I sleep there are these… fragments; like lost memories. I remember I used to have a falling-star globe which my mother gave me. I see flashes of her and my father; their faces, their voices… I need someone to help me understand all of it."

"I understand," Obi-Wan replied, nodding slowly. "It seems you are beginning your journey on a different path. The Dark Side seeks to control the living Force; to bring it under its command in order to draw upon its power. Many Sith believed that in so doing they would be able to attain immortality. However, when you surrender yourself to the Force, let it guide you and trust in its will, it may show you things you have forgotten, or cannot see, or have yet to see."

"You mean it can show you the future?" Mara asked in disbelief.

"In a sense. It may show you glimpses of events to come; premonitions of sorts. But the future is always changing, it isn't set in stone. Never forget: destiny is what we make for ourselves."

"I understand… I think," Mara said slowly. These dreams had been so unexpected; her sleep was never usually so pleasant and comforting.

"What are you thinking about?" Obi-Wan asked with a knowing smile.

Mara stayed silent for a few more seconds before gazing back into the old Jedi's eyes and answering:

"I've decided I want to help you escape."

Obi-Wan observed her closely, his ill-looking eyes becoming sharper. He could not sense her Force signature, but he trusted his instincts which told him she was being sincere.

"You should fully realize what you are risking by doing this," Obi-Wan said. "If you choose to go through with this, you must accept to fully turn away from the path you have walked since childhood. Are you prepared?"

Mara did not falter or let her gaze waver. The conflict had been stirring inside her for a long time but now her decision was clear.

"I am no longer afraid. The Force will be my guide, and I trust in the Force."

"Are you prepared to follow the way of the Jedi?" Obi-Wan continued. "To stand for freedom, justice, and peace? To have the patience and the commitment to unlearn your previous teachings and start down a new road?"

"I am ready."

"It is not the best of places to do this," Obi-Wan said humorously. "But I will give you the code by which a Jedi must live. Remember it and always keep it in your heart."

Mara nodded, kneeling in front of the ray shield she laid her hand against it and concentrated on Obi-Wan's words which she repeated:

"Emotion, yet peace.

Ignorance, yet knowledge.

Passion, yet serenity.

Chaos, yet harmony.

Death, yet the Force."

Once she finished reciting the Code, Mara rose to her feet. Obi-Wan's eyes seemed to have regained some of their shine.

"I want you to listen very carefully, Mara," the old Jedi spoke evenly. "I believe I have a plan to get out of here. I will explain everything, but first, there are things you need to know."

Obi-Wan's explanation lasted only a couple minutes, after which Mara quickly left the detention center and went to turn the security cameras back on. She was still reeling from everything Obi-Wan had shared with her, and what his plan actually consisted of.

Grand Moff Thrawn impassively watched as the Star Destroyer he was in chased the Millennium Faulcon through an asteroid field. After losing track of their ship for some time, it had suddenly reappeared on their scanners.

"Sir, we're coming out of the asteroid field," a lieutenant said as he kept a close eye on his monitors. "They're powering up their hyperdrive! We're going to lose them!"

Thrawn said nothing. He kept his eyes locked on the circular grey shape of the Millennium Faulcon. If their hyperdrive was fully functional, then there was nothing they could do to stop them from escaping. But if his guess had been right…

"Their hyperdrive is powering down! It must be damaged!"

Thrawn allowed the corner of his lips to flick up with pride. If the Faulcon's hyperdrive had been functional, it stood to reason they would have used it to escape a long time ago. The time during which the ship was off the radar could have been enough time for Han Solo and his crew members to fix the hyperdrive, but Thrawn had determined the odds to be well in his favor. Repairing a hyperdrive was no simple feat.

"Continue firing on their main engines," Thrawn ordered the gunners. "Be ready to activate the tractor beam as soon as they are in range."

To think that Vader had gathered some of the best bounty hunters in the galaxy just a few hours ago to find the Millennium Faulcon. It would be ironic if the chase were to be over so soon.

Thrawn had extensively researched the Millennium Faulcon, as well as its captain, Han Solo. It appeared the ship was much like the man. Unassuming at first glance but full of surprises and hidden weapons. Thrawn knew he was unlikely to let his ship be taken without some resistance.

Thrawn was not disappointed when the Millennium Faulcon performed a full 180° turn and accelerated straight towards his Star Destroyer.

"They're moving to attack position," captain Needa muttered incredulously. "Shields up!"

Thrawn, again, remained silent. He kept his eyes locked on the scanners, which showed the blinking dot, representing the Millennium Faulcon, moving closer and closer to them. Just as it flew over the bridge and overlapped exactly with the center of the scanners, the blinking dot suddenly disappeared.

"Track them! They may come around for another pass," captain Needa quickly ordered.

Thrawn took several steps back, holding his chin in reflection as the other officers around him tried to understand what had happened.

"Captain Needa," one of his lieutenants called to him. "The ship no longer appears on our scopes."

"They can't have disappeared," Needa mumbled, his face completely flustered. "No ship that small has a cloaking device."

You incompetent imbecile, Thrawn thought to himself as he continued to slowly pace back and forth in the center of the bridge.

"Captain," a technician said to Needa. "Lord Vader demands an update on the pursuit."

A tense silence followed his remark as everyone looked towards Needa expectantly. The latter was nervously trying to keep his hands from trembling.

"Tell him we are still pursuing the Millennium Faulcon," Thrawn spoke up, loud enough for everyone on the bridge to hear. "And that we will soon have them in our clutches."

"Sir, they've disappeared from our scanners," Needa nervously piped up, avoiding Thrawn's piercing red eyes. "How can we expect to find them— "

"What are the possibilities regarding what may have happened to the Millennium Faulcon?" Thrawn cut him off, stepping closer to Needa.

"Sir… I don't understand— "

"We have determined that their hyperdrive is damaged, therefore we know they did not jump to lightspeed. As you've stated the likelihood such a small ship would house a cloaking device is quite small. Therefor…?"

Seeing Needa's confused and bewildered face aggravated Thrawn to not end. It always depressed him that the Empire allowed barely competent men to become senior officers simply because their family possessed wealth or political influence.

"It must still be here, sir."

Thrawn turned away from Needa, trying to find who had spoken.

"Who said that?"

"I did, sir."

Thrawn looked down into the pits to see a thirty-year-old Twi'lek standing to attention beside his turret controls. Thrawn turned a piercing gaze towards him and was impressed when the latter did not even flinch.

"Very good," Thrawn acknowledged with a smile. "They are still here and their ship has been powered down so as to not be detectable by our scanners."

"It's possible they've attached themselves to our hull, sir," the Twi'lek completed his train of thought.

While all the officers looked at the gunner with loathing and resentment, Thrawn nodded at his sharp mind.

"What is your name?"

"Orphus Satili, sir."

"Is there a way for us to see where they are on our hull without them knowing it?"

"We use small droids to perform maintenance on the cannons. I can send them out to search; their energy signatures are so small they would never spot them."

"Excellent. Proceed."

As the Twi'lek started activating the maintenance droids, captain Needa approached Thrawn with a nervous look.

"Sir, you shouldn't encourage such individualistic behavior," the captain whispered. "Taking advice from a lowly gunner when you are Grand Moff is— "

"I assure you, captain, your opinion concerning my behavior in this matter is quite irrelevant to me," Thrawn snapped back without even looking at him. "I value competence far above rank or distinction. Which is the exact reason why your presence on this bridge is currently of less value to me than mister Satili's."

Needa was completely stumped. He desperately tried to formulate a response, but Orphus Satili spoke before he could:

"Sir, I've found them. They've attached their ship to the back of the bridge."

"It appears they are even closer than we thought," Thrawn said with amusement. "Use those droids to attach a tracking device to their hull. Once done, unload our trash collectors and move towards the rest of the fleet, that should give them an incentive to detach."

"Sir, we're not going to capture them?" Needa spoke up in disbelief.

"Captain, when you find a rat, do you kill it or let it guide you back to its pack?" Thrawn's tone was clipped and laced with cruel intensity. "Now, go report to Lord Vader how you would have let the Millennium Faulcon escape had it not been for mister Satili's intervention."

"Sir, I don't— "

"Either you tell him yourself, captain, or I will. Do not worry. I am sure Lord Vader will be much readier to forgive your incompetence."

With a submissive salute, Needa left the bridge under the furtive glances of his entire crew. Once he was gone, Thrawn turned around to address everyone:

"We will closely track the Millennium Faulcon's movements and keep all ships on standby. Captain Satili is now commands of this ship. Somebody get him the appropriate uniform and find someone to take his old post unless mister Needa somehow returns here."

With that, Grand Moff Thrawn left the bridge and made his way to the main hangar. His personal shuttle was waiting to take him to his meeting with the Emperor.

Luke maintained his focus on the Force as he climbed up a slippery vine while carrying Yoda on his back. His muscles were aching badly but he kept the pain at bay by letting the Force wash it away.

As he reached the top of the tree, Luke focused his mind and sharpened his senses to find the fastest route through the branches. He swung on a vine, slid down the fallen trunk of a gnarltree before jumping off of it, and continuing to run through the swamps and forests of Dagobah.

"Yes! Run!" Yoda spoke from behind his shoulders.

Luke deepened his connection to the Force, enhancing his movements so that his speed increased even more. His reflexes were also superhuman, allowing him to jump over tree roots that would have tripped him over and dodge low hanging vines.

"Yes… A Jedi's strength flows from the Force. But beware of the Dark Side. Anger, fear aggression… The Dark Side of the Force are they. Easily they flow, quick to join you in a fight. If once you start down the dark path, forever will it dominate your destiny, consume you it will, as it did Obi-Wan's apprentice."

Luke came to a halt, panting hard as he caught his breath.

"Vader," Luke said, lost in thought. He had tried to forget about the menacing figure he'd last seen onboard the Death Star. What he had sensed from him had felt strangely familiar, and that fact alone unsettled him. "Is the Dark Side stronger?"

"No! No…" Yoda answered quickly. "No. Quicker, easier, more seductive."

"But how am I to know the good side from the bad?" Luke asked in confusion. He could not help remembering the times he'd felt a surge of power only to realize later he had taped in to the Dark Side.

"You will know, when you are calm, at peace; passive," Yoda spoke slowly, gripping Luke's shoulders with his claws. "A Jedi uses the Force for knowledge and defense, never for attack."

Luke was still struggling to wrap his mind around this. Since he was a member of the Rebel Alliance, he had always considered himself a soldier; and a soldier's job was, by definition, to attack.

"But tell me why I can't— "

"No, no. There is no why," Yoda cut him off sharply. "Nothing more will I teach you today. Clear your mind of questions… Hmmm…"

Luke did as he was told, letting his worries and hesitations dissolve into the Force, trying to find serenity within himself.

Luke put down the backpack he was carrying Yoda in and went to put his shirt back on. As he looked around the small clearing they were in, a sudden realization hit him. A familiar-looking gnarltree with roots that led into a cave…

"That tree," he pointed it out to Yoda who simply looked on impassively. "I saw it in my vision. And this feeling…"

It was like a cold wind blew through the clearing, making the hairs on Luke's arms stand up. The sensation was exactly the same as in his vision.

"That place…" Yoda spoke, pointing his gimmer stick towards the gnarltree. "Is strong with the Dark Side of the Force. A domain of evil it is. In you must go."

Luke was not reassured by how Yoda formulated that sentence. The cold was now accompanied by a growing tension in his gut; his senses were warning him that this cave was dangerous.

"What's in there?" Luke asked.

"Only what you take with you," Yoda replied solemnly.

The old master slowly traced patterns in the earth with the end of his gimmer stick, his Force presence completely invisible. Luke could tell Yoda was closely watching how he would react. He was being tested; this cave was a trial he had to face if he was to become a Jedi.

Steeling his nerves, Luke picked up his weapon's belt and was about to tie it around his waist when Yoda's voice halted him:

"Your weapons; you will not need them."

Luke looked back towards the old hermit in disbelief. After everything he had sensed and seen about this cave Yoda seriously expected him to enter it unarmed? Luke trusted the old master's wisdom, but this time he preferred to listen to his gut: he needed his weapons.

Luke fastened his belt securely and prudently advanced towards the base of the gnarltree. Each step he took immediately disappeared under the thick layer of fog that puddled around the roots of the tree.

Luke could hear R2's worried beeps behind him but he kept his gaze riveted forwards. Step by step, and almost crushing a large iguana hiding under the fog, he entered the cave.

He had managed to get used to the cold by now. Luke could still feel it but it no longer distracted him as much as before. He descended a couple of stone steps that led to a narrow pathway beneath the roots of the gnarltree. There were no signs of life down here; just the cold and a growing uneasiness in Luke's gut.

He carefully advanced down the path, keeping his reflexes attuned for any lurking dangers. Just as he reached a small alcove, he saw something. A figure draped in a dark cloak was lying prone on the ground.

Luke could not sense any signs of life as he kneeled next to the body and rolled it over to see who it was. He jumped back in terror: it was Ahsoka! Her face was pale and covered in greyish veins; her eyes were lifeless but glowed yellow like twin suns.

"Ahsoka?" Luke spoke slowly, reaching out to touch her face.

Just as his fingers grazed her cheek, she surged to life, grabbing his wrist; at the same time, Luke felt a gnarled hand grab his ankle. Looking back, he saw Ezra, dressed in similar dark robes, with the same pale face and glowing eyes.

When Ahsoka and Ezra spoke, their voices came as one hoarse, pleading voice:

"Tell us… Are you the Chosen One?"

As soon as they had uttered this sentence, both their bodies went limp and dissolved into dust, which was blown away by a sudden cold wind. Luke barely had time to understand what was happening when a distant sound of lightsaber clashing captured his attention. Two people were fighting somewhere further down the path.

Without thinking, Luke got up and ran forward. As he turned a bend, Han and Chewbacca laid on either side of his path, mangled and bloodied.

They turned their empty gazes towards him and spoke in that same pleading voice:

"We can help you save them…"

Luke tore his eyes away from them and kept running, eyes down, just focusing on the sounds of lightsabers getting louder and louder.

Finally, at a turn in the path, Luke found the origin of these sounds, and what he saw horrified him. Darth Vader was blocking the way forward, holding his crimson lightsaber, and dueling against… Leia. She held a blue lightsaber and desperately tried to break Vader's defense, but to no avail; his power completely dominated hers.

As Luke moved forward to intervene, Vader twisted Leia's saber out of her grip and cut off her hand with a flick of his blade. She fell to the ground, crying and clutching her wrist in agony.

Leia turned towards Luke, tears in her eyes, with the same raspy and desperate tone:

"You were my brother, Luke! I loved you!"

Luke reached out towards her, but before he could, Vader brought his lightsaber down onto her, killing her instantly. Luke felt the familiar boil in his gut as he activated his lightsaber and engaged Vader in combat.

He was unable to even form a coherent plan of attack; Luke wanted to kill Vader, simple as that. He felt imbued with a supernatural amount of strength that allowed him to push the Dark Lord back with each blow he deflected.

Vader was only able to defend, Luke left him no opening for an attack. Eventually, his opponent was backed against the walls of the cave. Luke felt his body move on its own as he deftly sliced both of Vader's hands off and grabbed his red lightsaber as it flew through the air.

The Dark Lord was beaten and crumbled to his knees before Luke. He held both lightsabers inches away from his dark helmet, watching the blue and red reflection on the polished surface between the yellow glimmer of his own eyes.

A small voice in the back of his head was holding him back from doing what he was raring to do. Luke's blades hovered next to Vader's throat but he was unable to carry the action out.

Luke's attention was drawn away by a low and ominous cackle that echoed through the cave. From behind Vader, a hooded figure stepped out of the shadows, its voice familiar yet unnatural:

"Why not let him go? Let him die… and you can stop all that I will do…"

Luke tried to remember his teachings; that a Jedi was never to strike a defeated enemy. He knew he should not kill Vader, but the knowledge of what his death would mean for the safety of the galaxy told him that this sacrifice was necessary.

In one swift movement, Luke decapitated Vader with his two lightsabers; a strident echo filled the cave before being replaced with an eerie stillness. Luke extinguished the weapons and watched the Dark Lord's head roll to his feet.

A small flash split apart the front of Vader's mask. As the smoke cleared, Luke could see what was underneath it and he was petrified with fear when he saw his own face looking back at him.

The cloaked figure stepped forward to stand over Vader's body, its face still shrouded in shadows.

"You have fulfilled your destiny, Luke," the mysterious man muttered gleefully. "Now, come take your place as my apprentice."

As Luke looked towards him, the figure removed its hood and revealed its face. What he saw broke his heart more than anything else he had seen. He saw the grinning face of his old master, Obi-Wan, draped in sith robes, eyes tainted yellow, beckoning him to stand by his side…

Done! Everyone breathe… I know there were some controversial things in here but please understand it's just my interpretation of SW and its characters.

I trust that many OG Star Wars fans will have recognized some iconic lines sprinkled throughout. Those things just tickle my bone, I can't stop using them. So sue me! I think they're epic!

And the line "you were my brother", remember, just like when Obi-Wan said it to Anakin it does not have to be taken literally. I will reiterate, just so we're clear. I'm sorry for ruining any subtlety but I don't want people to come saying "oh that was such a cheap way to reveal Luke knowing Leia is his sister": HE STILL DOES NOT KNOW! There is such a thing as being "closer than brothers/sisters". So yeah… sorry to those who knew this was not to be taken literally but I needed to make sure no one got the wrong impression.

I hoped you liked the brief return of Grand Moff Thrawn. I'm sure some people will have an objection to him naming some random gunner as captain, but again, this is just my opinion. Considering there are many idiots amongst the ranks of the Imperial officers, it doesn't feel entirely implausible that Thrawn would promote someone who shares his analytical mind and outside-the-box thinking. Plus, it just felt cool…

We're approaching Cloud City guys… the place where… stuff happens pretty much. I get more and more psyched as we approach the climax of this entire fanfic. The battle of Endor and whatnot is still far away but I already have a pretty clear picture for how I want it all to pan out…

Anyway, enough rambling. I hope you liked this chapter, and please favorite, follow, and comment. It means a lot.

See you next week (if all goes well… don't quote me ;-)