Saga A Name of Insignificance - Darth Vader Vignette - Purge Challenge Response Author replies 8/ 27

Title: A Name Of Insignificance

Author: Layren

Timeframe: Around Ep 3

Summary: Darth Vader thinks back on his past life as a Jedi and where he?s come from.


This is my very first attempt at writing outside the Before the Saga forum. I've been having bad Darth Writer's Block these past few days so I was scrolling through the plot bunny thread and I found this bunny listed on page 2 by Wild Huntress of Vader coming across Qui-Gon's name.. so this is my take on it This also is my response to Lilith's Purge Challenge found on THIS thread. Any comments are welcome


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The sharp mechanical wheeze of his breathing echoed loudly in the silence as Darth Vader strode through the ruins of the Jedi Temple. The temple had been burned just a few days before and the ashes of the once magnificent building lay in ruins. The acrid scent of burned flesh and decaying material didn?t bother him any as he walked along what had once been the corridor. The harsh sound of crushing durasteel and plexiglass beneath his boots broke the stillness of the air around him as he headed to the Jedi Archives. The archives themselves had been destroyed along with the rest of the Temple. The Emperor had made it quite clear that no information on the Force or how to use it was to remain. There was to be nothing that could possibly assist the Jedi in later returning to power to challenge him.


He turned a corner as he came into the archives and he surveyed the damage that had been done by himself and his men just a few days before. The records had been almost entirely eradicated and nothing remained except for the computer terminals of which Vader was here to dispose of. It angered Vader that he could not delegate this task to one of his officers but the Emperor trusted very few people to handle a job such as this correctly.

He pulled up several of the files which were still accessible one of which listed names for Jedi who had been killed and as he scrolled through the list of names he paused staring at one in particular: Qui-Gon Jinn ? Jedi Master ? Killed In Action. He reached up touching the terminal marking the spot where Qui-Gon?s name was listed and stood out so prominently.


This particular Jedi Master had been the one to take him from Tatooine. He had taken from him everything he knew and everything he loved. No, Vader paused. Obi-Wan had done that. He had been the one who refused to let Anakin go to his mother?s aide in time that would have saved her. He had followed Qui-Gon willingly off Tatooine though he had been hard pressed to leave his mother behind. Qui-Gon had tried to find a way that would free her also, but he had been unable to do so before his death. After his death, no one else cared. No one cared that Shmi had still been living a life of slavery while her son was free. No one but Master Jinn and Anakin, and he had been killed. They both had. The man who had once been Anakin Skywalker no longer exsisted and therefore this name before him now meant nothing.

He got up from the ruined seats of the computer terminal taking his lightsaber from his belt. He thumbed the blade on and plunged it through the each of the terminals. Machinery melted and twisted finally becoming a molten heap the longer he held his blade upon it. The name was one of insignificance. The Jedi were dead and it was time to embrace his future.

 

This was very good Layren. You kept Vader in character nicely with his anger at Obi-Wan and the Jedi. I of course don't agree that it was all Obi's fault though. Great job.

Peggy

 

Definitely interesting! Poor Vader... a slight flashback but to him, but it means nothing any more. Well at least he paused, if only for a moment! And it was due to Qui's name!

And it appears true though, no matter how sad it sounds. Qui-Gon and Anakin were the only ones that cared about Shmi. That was a sweet touch there. Nice lil fact!

Great work!

 

Peggy Thanks! I was worried about how his character would come across because I have never attempted to write him before. I'm glad I was able to keep his character together.

Kynstar I know! That's one of the things that always bothered me about Qui-Gon taking Anakin from the Jedi. No one else seemed to care that Shmi was a slave and living such a hard life. Of course the Jedi don't have attachments like Anakin did but still.. it bothered me. Thanks for commenting! Glad you enjoyed it

 

Very nice, Layren. I like the Vader prespective, as opposed to the Anakin perspective.

 

Oh very, very VADER! Loved it! This is a hard challenge but you more than delivered!

He got up from the ruined seats of the computer terminal taking his lightsaber from his belt. He thumbed the blade on and plunged it through the each of the terminals. Machinery melted and twisted finally becoming a molten heap the longer he held his blade upon it. The name was one of insignificance. The Jedi were dead and it was time to embrace his future.

Great ending!

 

Machinery melted and twisted finally becoming a molten heap the longer he held his blade upon it. The name was one of insignificance. The Jedi were dead and it was time to embrace his future.

This was so chilling. You portrayed Vader's anger so perfectly. Great job with this viggie!

 

Lilith Thanks! I'm glad you liked the different perspective. That was the original plot bunny that was in the thread and I thought it would be a great idea for this particular challenge Glad you enjoyed it


VaderLVR Thanks so much for the comments! I tried really hard to keep him in character but he doesn't show much emotion on screen. It was hard to balance out the no emotion and show that he cared about something at the same time. Glad the ending was fitting! THanks for reading!

Healer_Leona Thanks! I'm glad I could make you feel sorry for him. One of hte things about tragic characters is that they always were likeable -- at least at first but some flaw they had caused them to fall. Glad you liked it Thanks for the comments!

Gina Thanks so much! I really appreciate that. Like I said this is my first attempt at anything in this forum so I am very glad that it came across so nicely. Thanks for the comments!

 

Wow, that certainly was an innovative perspective. Well-done on the human side of this character.

 

I liked this one a lot . . . even though it's short, you deliver a great look into Vader's mind. Great work.

 

A very unique look at a short moment from the purge. Very well written, Layren

 

Come on over to this forum more often! I love this viggie. No matter how far Vader goes it all comes back to his mommy and Qui-Gon.

 

DarthIshtar Thanks! I'm glad you liked it Even the bad guys have SOME human once in awhile.

JediNemesis Thanks so much! Coming from you that's high praise! I really enjoyed your response as well! Thanks for commenting


MJsullivan Thanks so much! I do appreciate it Short and simple -- that's the type of work I do most of the time

isola Thanks for the kind words! I would come over to this forum more often but it usually requires Qui-Gon being dead and I prefer to live in denial Welcome to the boards! I noticed you haven't been here long. Thanks for commenting!

 

Amazing, Layren. A last look back before he finally destroyed everything that connected him to his past. I loved it!

 

Oh, I liked that he was walking through the Archives with the crunch of broken durasteel. Made it very vivid! And him stopping at Qui-Gon's name. So sad!

Good job.

 

Uppers for the Challenge

 

*shakes head* You did an incredible job, Layren - as everyone else has said, this was Vader, through and through. It was interesting that he paused at Qui-Gon's name, but the way he just brushed it off and moved on was chilling. Even though no one died in this particular reply to the Purge challenge, in a way, someone did, because Vader was killing - or at least attempting to kill - the very memory of Qui-Gon Jinn. The way he impaled it with his crimson lightsaber reminded me of how Darth Maul did the same when Qui-Gon's literal life ended.

This story had a very foreboding ending, because we know that Vader will not stop. His encounter with Qui-Gon's memory has left him unmoved, and he is going to keep on killing without a shred of remorse for a long time.

Excellently done.



For freedom. For justice. Viva la Rebellion

 

Oooh my apologies! I had no idea this had gotten more reviews! I don't venture often into this forum.


Indra Thanks sweetie! I'm very glad you enjoyed it Yeah that's exactly what I was hoping to portray. He's so far gone that even Qui-Gon can't bring him back


Diane It's the little details that make a fic worthwhile You know me I have to reference to Qui-Gon in almost everything I write lol. Glad you liked it!


Kynstar Thanks for the up my padawan


Fate Very very excellent point. Someone did die but not directly I think that's what the Jedi Purge was all about. Yes in a way Qui-Gon was killed all over again, but by Vader this time instead of Darth Maul. Aye it is very foreboding since we know exactly the extremes that Vader will go to from now on. Thanks so much for reading!