Chapter Text
Turning to face the Emperor, Luke Skywalker tried to stand tall, despite his racing heart. His hands shook as the Emperor gave him one last disdainful look.
“I should have known you’d never turn… you’re nothing like your father after all…”
Luke supposed he should feel proud of that, but in this case, it meant certain doom. He backed up as much as he could before his foot hit empty air. He’d almost backed into a reactor shaft! He jumped forward, catching himself before he could fall to the bottom.
Regaining his balance and composure, he looked the Emperor in the eyes, only to see a look of pure anger and hatred that sent shivers through him. The Emperor raised his hands and a blue bolt of lightning shot towards Luke. He’d heard of this power, but he’d never seen it before! As soon as it hit him, he collapsed onto the ground, barely keeping himself from falling down the shaft. He could hardly think to do that much, as the pain was like nothing he’d ever felt before, and it only got worse with every round of Force lightning…
Suddenly it stopped. Luke raised his head, trembling all over by now from either pain, fear, or both. The Emperor’s face, which had previously been smiling—smiling!—morphed into a scowl. He held out his hands, preparing for another blast—the killing bolts, most likely. Luke squeezed his eyes shut, knowing there was nothing he could do. Please make it fast…
Luke’s eyes shot open. Heart pounding, he glanced around. Familiar walls. A light fixture, currently off. The Force presences of the brave pilots he’d fought alongside just the day before. He was safe in his own bunk in the Rebel base on Hoth.
Glancing up at the time—12:30 in the morning—Luke breathed a sigh, still shaking. It wasn’t the first time he’d had a nightmare involving a battle against one enemy or another, but he’d never been this frightened before. It had never been that vivid, either. He heard Yoda’s voice in his head. Through the Force, things you will see… the past, the future… old friends long gone… And he remembered Vader telling him that his premonitions had often come in the form of a dream, and they’d never been good.
He reached for Vader through the Force, but stopped when he sensed Vader was deep in meditation. Reaching for Leia, he saw she was sleeping peacefully. Best not to disturb either of them…he didn’t want to worry them if it was nothing.
Luke hugged himself tightly and curled into the bed, trying to forget the horrifying images he’d dreamed up, and hoping against hope that they weren’t indicative of anything to come.
Leia Organa glared at the Emperor. She’d never felt this angry before. It was almost frightening. Yet… satisfying? The Emperor smiled for some reason. How could he smile when…
“You killed him! How could you?”
Leia glanced back at the spot where her brother, who she loved more than anything, had faded away into the Force...because of this man. Fighting back tears of both anger and sorrow, she rushed the Emperor, Force-pulling Luke’s lightsaber into her hand. The Emperor pointed in her direction, stopping her in place with the Force.
“I sense much anger in you…”
Leia shuddered despite her anger. How many times had Luke told her the dangers of falling to the Dark Side? But he wasn’t here now, and if that was what it took to avenge him… The Emperor looked down.
“You could strike me down now, and your journey to the Dark Side will be complete.”
Didn’t sound too bad…
“Or… we could work together to save your brother.”
Leia froze. “How… how could we do that?”
The Emperor grinned evilly. “The Dark Side is a path to abilities many would consider… unnatural…”
“I don’t care about that, how can we save him?”
Leia didn’t care how disrespectful that sounded, she just wanted Luke back.
“First you must join me as my apprentice.”
Hesitantly, Leia nodded.
“To prove your loyalty, you must first kill my other apprentice.”
He slowly pointed towards the dark presence in the back of the room. Vader. Her father.
“Save Vader and lose your brother forever. Or save young Skywalker but lose your father. Your choice…”
Leia opened her eyes slowly. She hadn’t even realized she was crying. With a shaking hand, she wiped her eyes. What had her so worked up…? Oh. She shuddered as the dream came back to her. It’s okay, she told herself. They’re both safe. You don’t have to choose between them. You don’t have to choose between anything.
Taking a deep breath, she glanced at Vader through the Force. Still asleep, or at least his version of it. Then she turned to Luke. She expected him to still be sleeping peacefully, but when she looked for him, he was pressed into his bunk, shivering with fright. The sight just about broke her heart.
Had her dream indicated… whatever had happened to him? She wasn’t quite sure how their Force bond worked yet. She reached out to him.
Are you okay?
He opened his eyes and grabbed her hand through the Force.
I had a horrible dream… in fact, I’m not even sure it was a dream… it seemed more like a premonition…
Leia wrapped her arms around his Force presence, pulling him close. She hadn’t thought of that before… had hers been one too?
May I ask what your dream was about?
Luke looked up at her, and Leia thought she saw tears in his eyes.
Well, I had to fight the Emperor. He… he kept hitting me with Force lightning… and… and I… I think I died.
Leia froze. Just like her dream…
Luke shivered again and snuggled against his sister. Squeezing him tightly, both out of fear and a need to comfort him, Leia whispered, Believe it or not, I dreamed something similar…
Darth Vader stared down at his daughter. He’d always known her to have a temper, but he’d never dreamed that she’d turn to the Dark Side. Perhaps she was a little too much like him… He’d always thought Luke would end up turning… Luke. Luke was just… gone. Just like her.
Vader closed his eyes. He just wanted all this to be over…
Glancing between him and the Emperor, Leia collapsed to her knees, tears running down her cheeks. Vader felt the overwhelming fear, anger, and sorrow coming from her. It reminded him of that day. He couldn’t bear to watch this play out, first losing his son, then all but losing his daughter as well. And of course Palpatine would make him watch it all.
The Emperor turned to Vader, smiling.
“So, the fierce, passionate Force-user is turning to the dark side to save a gentle yet commanding loved one. And again, I have a new apprentice…”
The words every Sith Apprentice dreaded to hear. And yet Vader was more worried for Leia in this case. Vader shook his head, grateful for the mask concealing the tears in his eyes that threatened to spill over. He could see what was happening plain as day, why did Palpatine have to rub it in?
“And so history repeats itself once more…”
Opening his eyes, Vader glanced around. His heart would have been pounding had his suit not accounted for that. Wasting no time, the Sith Lord immediately looked for his children in the Force. He knew they were most likely fine, because what could have happened in one night, but some part of him—the parent part—needed to be sure.
He instantly sensed something wrong. Their Force presences were huddled together, and though they looked fine, he could feel a sort of… residual fear coming from them, as if something had frightened them and was no longer a threat, but the feeling still lingered. He reached towards the twins, his twins.
Is everything alright?
Luke glanced up, shaking his head.
No. We both had the same dream—well, more like a vision.
As his children explained, Vader felt a growing sense of dread. So it had been a premonition.
He pulled both of his children close in the Force.
Everything is going to be alright. I’ll make sure of it.
And though they said nothing, Vader could tell both of the twins made themselves the same promise. Somehow, doing this made him feel a little better. He looked down at them. As the twins fell asleep once more, Vader smiled to himself. He’d never thought he could have a family. And he wouldn’t trade it for anything.