Chapter Text
“You sure this is it Artoo?”
Artoo beeped affirmatively.
“Well, I suppose he certainly sticks with the theme.”
Luke sighed as he surveyed the approaching landscape. It was dramatic. Dark, craggy, ground interspersed with flashes of bright orange lava. Up ahead was their destination. An enormous castle carved of the same black rock that made up the landscape. It seemed designed to be as evil as possible. As though the architect had exclusively used holos from children’s stories as blueprints. It was a little excessive.
Luke debated concealing his X-wing somewhere, before giving up and landing on the castle’s landing pad. There weren’t many good hiding spots near the castle that he could see. He would rather not take his chances with the lava. It would be just his luck to land on what turned out to be a fault line. No, better not to rely on his ship as an escape route. Running out in an emergency would only end in finding it had been melted. Besides, it wasn’t like his father wouldn’t know he was coming soon enough.
Luke pulled off his helmet, but hesitated before opening the hatch. Last chance to turn back Skywalker. This whole thing was incredibly risky. There was a reason he hadn’t told anyone his plan.
Artoo beeped questioningly at him. Luke knew they were both thinking the same thing. Maybe they should just leave. It would definitely be the smart thing to do.
“I’m fine Artoo. Wait here.”
Artoo made an indignant warble.
“Not for the whole time I’m here. Just a little bit. In case I end up needing to make a quick escape. I’ll come back and get you if it’s safe.” He thought about what he said, “Well, safe enough.”
Confidence restored somewhat, he hopped out of his ship and headed towards the entrance of the castle.
The enormous door was, rather surprisingly not locked. Or maybe it’s not so surprising. Luke thought, as he tried to close the door as quietly as possible. Psychic evil wizards probably don’t need strong security measures. A brief image flashed through his head of a hapless thief breaking into a castle only to find Darth Vader on the inside. He smiled. At least I know what I’m getting into.
The hallways were empty. Luke hadn’t been expecting an entire garrison or anything, but he’d thought there would be someone around. Perhaps they were hiding. A chill went up Luke’s spine at the thought. He couldn’t detect anyone, but he had been caught off guard at Bespin. He concentrated on masking his presence in the force. I’m not here. I’m not here. I’m not here.
Hopefully it would work like a particularly strong mind trick; any non-sensitive would be unable to see him.
Luke stretched his senses out as far as he dared, still unwilling to give himself away. His father was a lot more powerful and may have already detected him, but he wanted to keep the element of surprise as long as he could.
There was another presence nearby. Luke could feel the cold, swirling storm he had come to recognize. As silently as he could he crept towards it.
All along the halls he saw no one. Not even a cleaning droid. It was eerie. An increasing sense of foreboding seemed to be filling the air. Luke couldn’t tell if it was the force, or his own turbulent emotions. Force, this had been stupid. Still he couldn’t turn back now. He needed to see this through, one way or another.
The door was as large and intimidating as all of the others in the hall. In fact physically it seemed indistinguishable from them. His father was behind that door. Luke steeled himself. Unlike Bespin, he was going into this with his eyes open. He pushed the door open.
Luke hadn’t had any preconceptions about his Father’s home, but it still managed to surprise him. He had expected at least some furniture.
The room was nearly bare. In the middle of the floor was a bacta tank. In the corner was a single table covered in wires and droid parts.
Nervous, Luke approached the bacta tank. Vader was in there. Luke could sense it. The figure floating in the tank looked nothing like the man he had met before. The towering terror wasn’t visible. Floating in the tank was an armless, legless man. He looked small. As Luke approached he could see that his father’s body was covered in scars. Burns. Was this a recent injury? The tank seemed to have been built into this room. Was Vader injured so often? Or was this an old injury, never healed?
Horror stirred in the back of Luke’s mind, underneath all existing fear and apprehension. He had known his father had some injuries. Why else would his suit breath for him? The mask Luke could have believed was for intimidation alone, but not the breathing. It would needlessly make stealth difficult.
But this was beyond his imaginings. Every inch of his father seemed to be covered in half healed burns. Scars and sores covered him. It was clear he needed the bacta tank, but it was less clear why he was allowed out of it. He had obviously never fully healed. Luke could see places where wounds had ripped open, from the scars he could tell that some had been re-opened over and over again. Some of these wounds were years, perhaps decades old.
His father’s eyes snapped open. They were a brilliant gold, and they glared at Luke, alive with malice. For a moment Luke felt an invisible grip on his neck. Then as soon as it had come it vanished. His father’s gaze softened. It was still frightening, still angry and bitter, but slightly less hateful.
Luke took a deep breath. It’s too late to turn back now Skywalker.
“Hello Father.”
Surprise swelled in the force. A tentative tendril of something tugged at the edges of his mind. For a moment Luke didn’t understand. Then he reached out with his mind and grabbed the link, opening his mind to his father.
So, you have accepted the truth.
“I have accepted that you were once Anakin Skywalker my father.”
The golden eyes narrowed. It was strange to be able to look his father in the face. To make eye contact with him. Vader’s face was scarred, and his mouth was obscured by the breathing mask, but Luke could see his expressions. Vader seemed a lot more human.
That name no longer has any meaning for me.
It was disappointing, but not entirely surprising. Luke had known this was likely to fail, had known he would probably die, but he still had to try. He couldn’t live with himself if he didn’t try.
“It’s the name of your true self, you’ve only forgotten. I know there is good in you. The Emperor hasn’t driven it from you fully. That is why you couldn’t destroy me.”
Unbidden, Luke’s gaze dropped to his prosthetic hand. Self-conscious, he flexed it. Vader’s eyes tracked the movement.
There was a silence. The force trembled with feelings, Luke’s and Vader’s. Luke tried to get a read on his father, it was difficult to feel the Force through the cloud of darkness. There was anger, despair and a curl of … shame? Odd.
There was a gentle tugging at his belt, and his lightsaber unclipped itself. It floated in front of the bacta tank, rotating slowly to give Vader a view of every angle. Luke flinched as the blade activated, but Vader only rotated it again before deactivating it. Luke grabbed it and put it back on his belt.
I see you have constructed a new lightsaber. Your skills are complete. Indeed you are powerful as the Emperor has forseen.
Vader was avoiding the point. He would not acknowledge the truth of Luke’s words. Could not bring himself to deny the goodness inside, but would not leave his hatred either.
“Come with me.” Luke said. “You don’t need to go back to the Emperor.”
Vader looked away.
Obi-wan once thought as you do. You do not know the power of the dark side. I must obey my Master.
“On Bespin you offered to kill the Emperor with me. Now you must obey him? Come away with me. Let go of your hate.”
It is too late for me my son. The emperor will show you the true nature of the force. He is your master now.
Despair settled heavily on Luke. For a moment it was so thick he couldn’t breathe. At last he struggled for control. With a deep breath he let his emotions go. He had known he might die when he came. Ben had told him it was a mission doomed to fail. All he could do was try his best and then accept whatever happened. His father was the only one able to make the choice, Luke could only show him the way.
“Perhaps you feel that way Father. But the Emperor doesn’t know I’m here now, does he? There is no reason you need to tell him right away.”
Do you seek time to plot an escape, my son?
The voice seemed vaguely amused, though Luke did not know if it was at the idea of Luke’s boldness, or simply at the idea that anyone could escape Vader.
“No. I came here on my own. If I needed to escape I would never have come at all.”
He could sense that Vader felt the truth of his words. Confusion surrounded him, Vader’s presence was suffused with it.
Why did you come here?
Luke took a deep breath. Maybe this was as futile as Ben said, but even if it was this could still be worth it. Luke wanted to know his father. Even if his father refused to see the good, refused to turn back to the light, Luke still wanted to know him. Just a little bit before they both died.
“When you spoke to me on Bespin. When you told me the truth… you made me an offer. I don’t want to rule the galaxy, I never have, although I do want to kill the Emperor. But what you said, I do want to be father and son. Just for a little while. Maybe you are a slave to the dark, maybe you must obey your master. But wouldn’t you like to know me a little? I grew up desperate to meet a father I thought dead. Despite … everything between us, I’d still like to know you. Like a real family.”
Luke met the golden gaze steadily through the glass of the bacta tank.
My son… I … When I found out your mother was pregnant… It was the happiest day of my life. When I thought you dead … it was the worst. I have longed to know you since you were conceived. But you do not understand… It is not … I am not
“It’s alright Father. Perhaps just a single day? Then you can turn me over to the Emperor to be killed.”
Vader glared at him again.
You need not die. You will serve the Emperor. You will be his true apprentice.
“I’ll die before I’ll turn. I’d rather be destroyed than a Sith.”
If that is your destiny. So be it.
“So? Do you agree? One day before we go to the Emperor?”
The Emperor will come to you my boy. You are too precious to risk traveling. But yes. I accept your terms. One day, you will not attempt escape. We can … get to know each other.
Luke smiled. For an instant he thought he saw Vader’s eyes soften. They seemed to go from brilliant gold to a softer greenish yellow. Triumph was too strong a word. But it was a small victory, his father wanted to know him. His father had wanted him. He was so caught up in the feeling, that he didn’t notice a second presence approaching until the door to the room slid open again.
A man scurried in. When he saw Luke he gasped.
“Lord Vader! An intruder! I shall -“ before he could finish his neck snapped, and he collapsed in a heap.
The happiness faded. Luke gaped at his father.
He would have reported you to the Emperor.
Luke could not repress a shudder. He had seen the destruction his father had wrought first hand, but this was Vader’s own servant.
Do not worry, my son. He is the only other living being in the castle.
A button depressed on the top of the tank. Vader’s body was drawn slowly out of the bacta, and droid arms came down from the ceiling with his armor and prosthetic limbs.
Luke stood and watched as his father, the most feared man in the galaxy was slowly assembled. It put him in mind of the droid factory the rebellion had once raided.
What have I gotten myself into?