Chapter Text
Inside his Hyperbaric chamber, Darth Vader reclined comfortably in the massive leather seat of the sphere-shaped machine. The constricting helmet and mask were off, and his own blue eyes watched the viewscreen before him. Watched the boy. His boy.
Luke was enthusiastically greeting an equally exuberant astromech droid. The scene brought back memories he had long buried. But, this time, the pain was… missing. There was something else in its place. Vader could not—refused to—identify the emotion.
How like his son, to be as fond of droids as his father had been. And, to have that particular droid as well.
The Force and Destiny truly were with his child.
Vader had already skimmed the earlier surveillance recordings. The child’s wonder and delight over his quarters was highly satisfying but this pleasure came with a vicious sting. His son had deserved those luxuries the instance he had been born. His wife had lived in privilege, and he had certainly enjoyed a fair share of comforts and extravagances in spite of his austere life as a Jedi; naturally, their son should have received no less. And, while Vader was not fond of the opulence and wealth his station in the Empire garnered, his child was fully entitled to all of it. That his boy had been denied so much fueled the Dark Lord’s rage like nothing else had in decades.
Vader looked forward to rectifying all of Kenobi’s transgressions. Luke was with him now, and with his father, the boy would stay.
He was beyond pleased over the boy’s Force potential. The fact the child had instinctively reached so deep into the Force with little training and learned so very quickly with only snippets of advice and guidance…
He would never have imagined the child would realize the connection between them entirely on his own; what was more shocking was how the child had accepted him so readily. Granted, there was still a part of his son that remained uncertain and wary of him but it was inconsequential. The boy was more than willing to give him a chance; eager to cement the bond between them. Vader could not allow such an opportunity to pass; he knew he owed this ease in which he would ensnare his son to Kenobi and his lies. He may have reclaimed his son with little effort but he was still seething over what had been stolen. All of the years lost. He had missed his son’s childhood, and to see where and how the boy had been raised… His hand balled into a tight fist.
Consider yourself infinitely fortunate, Kenobi! Vader spat venomously into the Force. If I had been aware of the full extent of your treachery, I would have made you wish for death as I may never gift it to you for all the wrongs you have done me and, especially, my child. I would have left you alive and carved your crimes into your body repeatedly!
What he had also not anticipated was his own reaction. Vader had expected the possessiveness; he was a Dark Lord of the Sith. It was natural to covet and, in all of the galaxy, if there was one person that had ever truly belonged to him; it was Luke Skywalker. Why shouldn’t he want and have what was rightfully his?
He had not expected the feelings the child invoked alongside the possessiveness. The protectiveness, the tenderness, the l… Vader violently threw his mind away even from the possibility of the word. He could not love his child. Love killed, he would never allow himself love again; it was far too dangerous. His love had been a weakness that had been exploited by Palpatine. A limitation he had not managed to remove from himself until it had been too late. His beloved Padmé had died, and he had lost his child for two decades because love hadn’t been enough. He could not afford to love with such perils as Darth Sidious present in the galaxy. Love would not keep his child safe; no, only power would. In that, Palpatine had taught him well and he would see to it that Luke learned this lesson quickly, for his sake most of all. Vader would not have his child suffer the same fate as his mother.
He would not lose his son.
He would not allow himself to be left alone.
Never again.
It wasn’t too surprising, he supposed, that he would be very protective of the child. Luke was untrained; so very vulnerable because he did not know how to use his vast Force ability. This grave oversight Vader laid at Kenobi’s feet. Although, it was also a blessing; the child would have no weak Jedi ideals hindering him.
Still, he needed to begin teaching Luke, Vader had far too many enemies and few real allies; even if he had begun working to change the latter. There were still far too few individuals Darth Vader was willing to trust. Doctor Aphra, Doctor Ayden Vax and his sons, and Admiral Piett were some of the many he was cultivating. He had also begun carefully shifting through the ranks of the Inquisitorous; he had managed to acquire a fair collection of promising Force-sensitives who shared his disgust over Palpatine and his Empire. Palpatine had alienated many more than the man noticed throughout the years; Vader would certainly use this to his advantage. His 501st were utterly devoted to him and he would ensure Luke gained their dedication and loyalty as well. From what he knew of his son, it would not be very hard for his child to acquire the devotion of the men of Vader’s Fist. Vax, himself, was already clearly fond of the boy.
That, Vader thought ruefully, is a double-edged blade. I may have to head off his habit in indulging Luke. Force knows what Luke can convince him to condone next.
It was very fortuitous that Luke could easily engender such emotions in others as his son would need all of the protections and more that Vader and his allies can provide. The three long years had verified this irrefutable fact; his boy had inherited both of his parents’ penchant for finding (and running headlong into) dangerous situations.
Vader simply knew that keeping his child safe would prove to be a very grueling task.
What had left him shocked, however, was the fact the boy had so easily unearthed the true heart of Vader’s endgame. That Vader intended to dispose of Palpatine; although the boy never realized this not simply for the Empire and the galaxy but especially for his own benefit. His son would never be safe as long as Darth Sidious breathed. Luke had not seen his own desire but Vader had certainly grasped that his boy was secretly very amendable to the prospect of removing Sidious.
Vader had honestly believed he would have to slowly entice his child to him; he had assumed his son had been poisoned against him by Kenobi so thoroughly he faced a slow, arduous struggle in order to reclaim Luke. Apparently, the Jedi had severely miscalculated; their foundation had been built on lies.
Yes, his plans would need to be adjusted.
This called for a far different approach.
That was acceptable; Darth Vader was always ready to improvise and adapt accordingly.
The Dark Lord leaned back comfortably and focused on the viewscreen; to watch a very interesting exchange taking place.
The little droid was gently prodding his son toward the doors; whistling and beeping stridently. While, to Luke, it was a barely comprehensible song of binary; to Vader…
(We should leave; I can get us out of here. C’mon, Luke! Think you can remove this restraining bolt?)
“No, Artoo. I… I can’t leave.” Luke whirled around to rest his hands on the dome, pushing back gently but firmly. “Easy, easy let me explain!”
Artoo halted and expressed his disbelief. (Why not?!)
“Because Darth Vader’s my father. He’s Anakin Skywalker.”
Artoo went still, the single eye swirling through its entire spectrum of colors before the R2 unit loosed a cacophony of shrill sounds that had his son cringing and covering his ears. (WHAAAT?! VADER IS ANAKIN!?! WHAT IN THE MAKER DID THOSE IMPERIALS GIVE YOU?!)
“I know it sounds crazy…” Luke said loudly, hands still over his ears. "But it's true, I swear!"
(Yes, it is crazy! This has to be some twisted Imperial ploy! I knew I shouldn’t have let you out of my sight! I bet they must have drugged you, or is this some sort of mind control; this is illogical, even for you! Blast it, my sensors can’t analyze biological data; I need to get a Medical droid to run a full medical scan on you…)
“But I know it’s true; the Force tells me it's true!”
(Oh, that explains everything. The Force. Forgive me if I’m skeptical, but you’re not exactly what I would call trained! Anakin was trained and he didn’t exactly have a sterile record of interpreting the Force correctly! He didn’t do things properly either but that wasn’t important in the end because he succeeded. Most of the time…)
“Look, I’m not drugged or anything. I’m in my right mind and I’m saying this is the right thing to do!”
(You’re a Skywalker, that’s a very rare state of mind for you.)
“C’mon, Artoo, trust me for once. I know what I’m doing!”
(…that just made me not want to trust you at all. I need to get rid of this restraining bolt somehow; I have got to get you back to the Rebel Alliance. Maybe the Princess, Captain Solo, Chewbacca, heck, even Threepio, can talk some sense into you!)
“Something tells me you’re not convinced.” Luke sighed explosively, throwing up his hands in frustration.
(You think?!)
Luke knelt before the little astromech and rested his palms the silver dome; staring at Artoo earnestly. “Please? Just let me try to do things on my own. I don’t need to be rescued this time. Besides, I don’t think you’d want to get on the bad side of Darth Vader, right? I bet that restraining bolt would be the least of your worries if you try anything.”
(I wouldn’t want to get on the bad side of Anakin Skywalker either. Your father was vindictive even back then.)
“Okay? …Promise you’d work with me on this?”
Artoo went silent and Luke waited patiently, keeping his pleading gaze fixed on the astromech.
Apparently, even droids were not impervious to that beseeching look, Vader mused with a ghost of a crooked smile.
(…fine. I’ll just save you like I did your dad whenever he got into more trouble than even he could handle. At least, you’re not half as bad as he was.)
“Thanks! You won’t regret it!”
(Most of the time. Maker help me. I am going to need it.)
Vader snorted, chuckling lowly. Yes, Artoo had changed very little in the intervening years; still as quirky and as peculiar as ever. He made a special note to double check the restraining bolt himself after the droid finished its visit with his son. Just in case. It was better to be paranoid when it came to that little R2 Unit.
Shortly, the senior engineer assigned as Artoo’s ‘keeper’ returned to take the astromech back to the hanger. Vader observed how his son easily endeared himself to the man with his heartfelt concern over his droid’s care and the sincere appreciation he offered the officer for watching over his little friend. The boy had definitely inherited his mother’s charm; Vader knew he hadn’t been this easy to like. Ever.
According to Dooku, I am very abrasive, Vader smirked at the memory of that taunt. One of the few times I ever agreed with the man.
He really should teach his boy how to shield himself properly too—he had been serious when he told the child that he was shielding extensively to keep the boy’s emotions and his magnificent Force Presence from broadcasting across the galaxy. But, for now, he had no wish. The child’s emotions were addicting. Especially now.
Luke was practically giddy over the discovery that his father lived; there was still the undertow of horror, the thick layer of uncertainty and wariness, the sharp edge of resentment and anger over the lie he had been told. But, all of these were smothered by his yearning, his wonder and, most of all, his joy. The boy’s feelings were unbridled, untamed, untainted.
He had never encountered such an emotional creature—It was partially because of his immense Force potential that all of Luke’s feelings were so easily sensed. And, it was likely because of him that the child felt everything so keenly as well. It amazed him greatly how much Luke took after him and Padmé; the child had so much of both of them and yet was still so distinctly his own person.
He smiled, uncaring of the ever-present painful stab of his scars stretching. Luke was so clearly his mother’s son. He had her slim frame, inherited the shape of the nose, the softer curve of the cheekbones and general features, the stubbornness, the effervescent kindness, the dedication to foolish, idealistic causes… Yes, Padmé Amidala lived in her child.
But, more importantly, he was his father’s son as well. The same hair, the matching eyes, the reckless nature, the mechanical competence, the superb piloting skills, the unbelievably powerful Force-sensitivity. Most of all, Luke loved, hated and felt as fiercely as his father did. Thus, his loyalty and devotion would be above question, beyond reproach, once it was secured. Vader had every intention of attaining this prize. There was little else left in the galaxy he wanted more; even his ambitions were second to this desire.
Vader’s mouth split into a real grin, one he hadn’t worn in decades. He hadn’t had the urge or the reason.
Yes, the child was, indeed, the best of both of them.
Luke was so much more then what Vader had imagined his unborn child could have been. More than fancy, more than speculation…
He was real.