Beyond - Legends Honour Thy Father (Anakin lives post-ROTJ - L/M, H/L) - Completed Nov. 4

Title: Honour Thy Father
Author: Briannakin
Timeframe: Post-ROTJ
Characters: Luke Skywalker, Anakin Skywalker, Leia Organa, Han Solo, Mara Jade
Genre: AU, Drama, Angst, Hurt/Comfort, Romance
Notes: BIG ‘thank you’s and hugs to Nanci (JM77) and taramidala for their editing work, advice and cheer-leading. I bit off more than I could chew with this plot and even I sometimes cringe in places, but they both made it MUCH better. Thanks ladies for all your help!

Since the first five chapters have been up on my LJ for quite some time, I’ll try to post these chapters within a day or two of each other. This fic is COMPLETELY finished, so I’ll probably post twice a week, if not more, so I will not be sending out notifications when I update. You can have alerts sent to you now though.


Prologue

The floor trembled under his feet. Explosions rocked the walls and made debris fall from the ceiling. Sirens wailed and stormtroopers ran with no direction. Fear, confusion and dread clouded the Force.

Luke Skywalker noticed none of it, for he had a destination – a goal.

He saw his target as he made his way through one of the Death Star’s main hangar; a Lambda class Imperial shuttle. Seeing the shuttle untouched and the boarding ramp down gave him energy to go on.

He then heard the wheeze of his father’s respirator and felt his father’s strength waning. Luke shifted so that he could carry more of his father’s weight on his shoulders. Luke’s body ached and was beyond exhausted from the lightsaber battle and the now-dead Emperor’s Force lightning attack, but his father was even weaker and the life-support systems in his suit were failing. His father had faced him in a lightsaber battle, and then killed the Emperor – taking on a lethal amount of Force lightning in the process – before expiring the Emperor’s soul to the deepest recess of Chaos when he tried to take over Luke’s body.

“Come on, Father, we are almost there,” Luke encouraged his father, who did not have the energy to reply. Luke had to practically drag his father but eventually they got to the boarding ramp. Luke had to put his father down: his muscles would not cooperate further. He had to collect his strength.

His father then spoke up. “Luke, help me take this mask off.” His voice was a little more than a whisper. His loud, baritone voice sounded defeated.

Luke, shocked, shook his head. “But you’ll die.”

“Nothing can stop that now,” his father said, weary. “Just for once, let me look upon you with my own eyes.”

Luke hesitantly complied with his father’s request. He was afraid, yet oddly curious. Together, they lifted the heavy black helmet. Then Luke carefully removed the hideous mask.

For the first time, son’s and father’s eyes met.

The man’s – formerly known as Darth Vader – face was scarred and bleach white. He had aged beyond his years and his eye sockets were deep set.

It was his eyes that caught Luke’s attention the most. They were bright blue.

His father – Anakin – was now fully restored to the man that he had once been, yet he had completely changed for the better.

Although his eyes refused to focus, Anakin smiled weakly.

Tears formed in both men’s eyes. Luke let his run down his cheeks.

“Now… go, my son,” Anakin ordered. “Leave me,” he wheezed.

Luke shook his head. “No. You’re coming with me. I can’t leave you here. I got to save you.” His desperation bled out in his voice.

Anakin’s smile grew sad. “You already have, Luke. You were right about me. Tell your sister…” his voice faltered, “you were right.” His eyes closed and Luke felt his father’s burdens lift through the Force.

Luke cried openly as he wrapped his arms around his father. He had dreamed of having a father his entire life. Now that his father was in his arms, he was dying. “Father, I won’t leave you.” Luke’s tears burned as they fell like ice onto his father’s cold face. “Please, Father, don’t leave me.”

Anakin opened his eyes. “I am proud of you, Luke. I love you.”

Those words gave Luke the strength he needed. “Then stay, please. I love you too.” He gathered his father in his arms. It took Luke all the strength he ever had to pick his father up. His bones and muscles burned with pain.

“Luke, no, save yourself,” Anakin pleaded.

“No, Father.” Luke shook his head, stubborn and defiant. He took one step, then another. Then another. “Your fate will be the same as mine.”

 

Nice start. I never really understood how Luke could be so forgiving to his father. I think I would have kicked him a few times while he was down while screaming, "This is for cutting off my hand! And this is for torturing my sister and this is for torturing Han!"

 

A very nice start.

 

Can't wait to see where this story goes. Vader living past ROTJ stories are always good

 

Great start, I'm excited to see how this'll work.

 

Hi Bri!

I can't wait to see how this one unravels. Will you just be posting here or continuing on LJ?

 

Jedi_Lover : Luke would never do something like that You’re a meanie.

jacen200015 : Thank you!

Force Smuggler : Thanks. I’ve always enjoyed reading Vader survives fics. This one has been brewing in my head since I started writing like 3 years ago.

Zer0 : Thanks. Keep reading and you’ll find out

Hazel : HI!!!!! You’ll enjoy this one, I know it. I won’t be posting this on LJ anymore. Only on here.


Note: I said that I wouldn’t be sending out PMs, but If you want me to continue tagging you in my replies (I always post a new chapter immediately after my replies), just ask, I don’t mind since I can’t change the title.

 

Part 1
Chapter 1

As his son began climbing the boarding ramp, Anakin let out a small chuckle. Luke reminded him of himself – stupidly stubborn – but thankfully there was no darkness within Luke. He had gotten his mother’s pure soul.

A pang of pain struck Anakin’s heart. He had not allowed himself to think of Padmé in years.

His breath hitched, tears fell, and for the first time he truly grieved for his beloved wife.

Luke hurried through the shuttle and set his father on a medi-station bunk. He slipped an oxygen mask over his father’s mouth and quickly kissed him on the forehead. “I’ll get us out of here, just say with me.”

As Luke rushed out, Anakin mumbled, “This is where the fun begins.”

* * *

Luke dashed into the cock-pit, flicked the switch to raise the boarding ramp, and started up the ship.

He managed to glide the shuttle out of the hangar just as it started to collapse. He was only a few hundred metres away from the Death Star when it exploded. The detonation rocked the shuttle and a piece of metal from the damned super weapon took out their thrusters.

Luke checked the diagnostics and let out a string of curses that would have made his Aunt Beru swat him. He changed the friend/foe setting on the transmitting board and hailed Home One.

“Home One, this is Commander Skywalker aboard Imperial Shuttle Magnum. I need immediate assistance. I am carrying severely injured personnel and unable to get to you.” Luke stumbled over the proper comm language.

“Commander Skywalker, we acknowledge your request but are unable to grant it at this time.”

Luke was about to plea with the communication officer when he heard another voice through the comm. “Luke, buddy, need a lift?”

Luke breathed a sigh of relief. “Yes, Lando, please.”

“We’ll be there in five standard minutes.”

Without losing a second, Luke was up and heading to his father. When he got to the medbay, Anakin’s eyes were closed and he was weeping.

“Father? I have to get this suit off you, alright? I have help on its way and I don’t want them knowing who you were just yet.” Luke looked at the last piece of the mask still on his father’s face – the piece that covered his lower jaw and neck. He reached to the back and found a dial. After Luke twisted it, the last piece of the mask fell away, revealing Anakin’s scarred neck.

Luke quickly kissed his father’s cheek before turning to search for something that could cut fabric and armor. He found round cutter and quickly started peeling the suit off his father. He cut away the thick black suit to reveal wires machinery and white flesh.

Once the suit was gone, Luke truly saw his father. Obi-Wan had been right: Anakin was more machine than human. But it was only Anakin’s limbs that were crude, outdated, cybernetic replacements. His core was thin and weak, but still human.

Luke disposed of the cursed suit out an airlock and when he came back, he noticed his father was shivering uncontrollably.

“Oh, Dad,” he sighed, grabbing blankets and covering his father with them.

Anakin let his one hand slide out from the blanket and brushed Luke’s leg. Luke looked down and grabbed his father’s metal left hand.

“How are you feeling?” Luke asked.

“I haven’t felt this good in twenty-three years,” Anakin responded weakly, but with a smile. He then asked, “Do you really feel so comfortable as to call me dad?”

“Dad,” Luke said for emphasis. “That’s who you are to me. Besides, the word ‘father’ kinda reminds me of the whole ‘I am you father’ thing on Bespin.”

Anakin avoided his son’s eyes. “I am sorry for that.”

“It’s all in the past now.”

Then they heard the docking ring engage. Luke squeezed his father’s mechanical excuse for a hand before hurrying off to see Lando coming through the docking ring, behind him was Nien Nunb.

“Get the hovergurney off the Falcon,” Luke ordered, knowing that gurney had an oxygen attachment. “And come meet me in this shuttle’s med-bay.” He then hurried back to his dad.

When he got back, he knew Anakin was slipping away. “Dad? Dad, stay with me,” Luke pleaded as he slipped a sheet under him to make the transfer process easier.

“I’m cold,” Anakin mumbled.

Luke wrapped the blankets around him tighter, tucked a towel under his head and created a hood to keep his father’s head warm. “Do you want me to remind you about Tatooine?”

Anakin chuckled as Luke hovered over his head. “Okay.”

Luke smiled. “Well, did you ever forget your boots out in the sand in the evening?”

“Yeah. In the morning when you go to get them, the sand is so hot; you have to run like a madman so your feet won’t burn. Good to know I wasn’t only idiot who did that once.”

“No, I think you were the only one who did it once. I did it every other week.”

Anakin rolled his eyes. “My son is a moron.”

“Like father, like son,” Luke continued the banter as Lando and Nien Nunb entered.

They picked up the sheet containing Anakin and easily transferred him to the hovergurney.

“Luke? Mind if I ask who this is?” Lando asked as he helped Luke get one oxygen mask off Anakin and put the mask attached to the hovergurney on the elderly man.

“Long story,” Luke said as he directed the hovergurney towards the Falcon. “But, I owe this man my life. We need to get him to Home One.”

Lando nodded. “Will do, Luke,” he said they entered the Falcon. “Nien, you heard the Commander, get us to Home One.”

The Sullustan hurried off while Lando and Luke brought the hovergurney into the Falcon’s medbay.

“Lando, go help Nien,” Luke commanded.

Father and son were alone again.

“Luke, you must tell them who I am. They must know who they are helping. I must pay for my crimes.” Although he was feeble, Anakin was still demanding.

“I will. I will tell them you are Anakin Skywalker – my father. No one knows but my sister that you were Vader and she wouldn’t have told anyone yet.”

Anakin shook his head. “No, Luke, justice is the Jedi way.”

“So is the truth and forgiveness. If you want to tell them who you were, you can, but just let me get you better first, please.”

“Fine, but you too have to get better, too.” When Luke looked at him, confused, Anakin continued. “Force lightning has horrible after-effects. You may not be feeling them now, but you will.”

“Okay, but you are my priority.”

After a moment of silence, Anakin asked, “Your sister. She’s Princess Leia, isn’t she?”

Luke nodded. “Yes, how did you – ?” He realized how silly his question was. Of course it was the Force that told him.

“It wasn’t the Force that told me,” Anakin answered his son’s thoughts. “Not entirely anyway. I don’t know how I didn’t see it before. She looks so much like her mother.”

Luke perked once he heard the last word. “Mother?” He knew very little about his mother. He had no memories of her. He only knew from Leia that she was beautiful, kind, yet sad. His Aunt Beru had once told him she and his mother had been friends, but she hadn’t been from Tatooine.

He then felt the Falcon dock with Home One. He knew medics would be rushing in here in a matter of moments.

“Your mother was an angel,” Anakin started, tears forming once again in his eyes. Before he could regain his posture, Lando entered with medics following him. They rushed Anakin out of the Falcon as Luke hurried behind them.

 

Nicely written. Yeah Luke wouldn't have kicked Vader when he was down. I was saying "I would" if I were Luke. I'm not as nice as Luke.

Hopefully Vader has a true change of heart. He could be very helpful to the rebellion.

 

Luke is indeed stubborn.

 

You're welcome Briannakin
These stories are indeed good. Can you have a chapter or dedicated on how Anakin fell to the Dark Side? You know tell the Rebel Alliance how Episodes 1-3 went down? Also I bet Mon Mothma would be interested in knowing what happened to Padme. Are you bringing Isard, Thrawn and the Clone Emperor into this story?

 

Very nice start.

 

Luke better get checked out. How is luke going to explain who this old man is to Han and Leia? Usually in post ROTJ stories I've read where Anakin lives....Leia freaks out and refuses to even go near him.

 

This is exciting for the Forums to be back!

Luke could be in lots of trouble but he could use the situation to his advantage.

 

Wahoooo! I'm still on a high that the boards are back. I've enjoyed what I've read on your LJ and can't wait for more here, gal!

 

Jedi_Lover: We all know YOU would kick someone when they’re down Thanks. Vader could be very helpful, if they let him help.

Jacen200015 : You’re going to see exactly how stubborn Luke is.

Force Smuggler : This story is entirely finish, so, while I’m normally open to reader’s input, I won’t be for this one. Though Anakin does explain to Luke ep 1-3 from his point of view and Mon Mothma, Isard and Palpy’s clones all make appearances. Thrawn was going to make an appearance, but his chapter got cut. He is mentioned.

Dark Lady Mara: Thanks.

Jedi_Liz : Luke is a male, he doesn’t need to see a doctor [/sarcasm]. I tried to make Leia’s reaction as in character as possible without making this an 100k epic.

Lady_Misty : Luke is in BIG POODOO.

Ginchy : GINCHY!!! I’m glad to see you here. Hopefully I’ll get to the new stuff soon.


AGAIN. IF YOU WANT ME TO TAG YOU TO NOTIFY YOU WHEN THERE IS NEW CHAPTERS UP YOU HAVE TO ASK ME. I CAN'T EDIT THE TITLE.

 

Chapter 2

Luke paced the waiting room in the medical ward on Home One. Lando had left a few minutes ago to help finish up with the Imperials and Luke had long finished the pile of forms for his father. Those forms, sitting on the plasti chair behind him, essentially re-created Anakin Skywalker, on flimsy anyways.

“Commander Skywalker?” a voice asked.

Luke nearly jumped. He turned around to see a human medic in his late 50s with greying brown hair. “Yes.”

“Sit, please,” the medic said, guiding Luke to a chair and taking a seat himself. He picked up the forms and flipped through them. “My name is Doctor Kirak Sophka.”

“How is he doing?” Luke asked impatient. As an after-thought he added, “Sir.”

“He is a fighter.” He then looked at the form again and his eyes widened. “Anakin Skywalker? That man is Jedi Knight Anakin Skywalker?”

Luke nodded, proud. “He’s my father. He was taken captive by the Emperor at the end of the Clone Wars and tortured for his powers for over two decades. I found him on the Death Star and rescued him,” he said, telling the truth from a certain point of view. Somewhere, old Obi-Wan Kenobi was rolling his eyes.

“Wow. Well, he was tortured alright. There is not much we can do for him right now – his body is too weak. The reason why he has been in surgery so long is that there is so much damage we need to rid him of before we can even think of healing and improving his quality of life. We had to remove all of his cybernetic replacements and put him on external life support.”

“When will I be able to see him?” Luke asked, suddenly feeling dizzy.

“Hopefully soon,” Sophka answered. After a moment he asked, “Are you feeling alright Commander?”

“Just tired, that’s all,” he tried to wave the doctor off, but winced when he tried to move his arm.

“Are you sure, Commander Skywalker? We think your father experienced a very high energy electrocution in the past hour. Is there any chance you were exposed to something like this as well?”

“Possibly. I think I just need to rest.” He tried to stand up. It took him two tries and when he finally got on his feet, his knees collapsed and he was sent sprawling on the floor. He winced in pain and humiliation.

“Can I get a hoverchair over here?” Sophka ordered calmly. He got up and knelt over Luke. “No more bantha shavit, Commander Skywalker. I outrank you here in the medical wing. I can make your life miserable,” he said, unamused. “Do you understand?”

“Yes, sir,” Luke mumbled in agony.

A bulky male porter arrived with a hoverchair and helped the doctor lift Luke into it. He was horrified to realize none of his limbs were responding to him now. He felt like a rag-doll.

He was taken to exam room one where Sophka drew some of his blood. “Tell me what you are feeling,” the doctor ordered as he ran a test on Luke’s blood.

Luke had no choice but to cooperate because he could not get out of the hoverchair. “My muscles are so tight I can’t move them, not to mention they hurt like Chaos. I’m dizzy and I’ve had double-vision for the past half-hour. I also feel like I’ve had all the energy sucked out of me.”

Sophka finished his tests. “You have massive calcification of your skeletal system, like your father. Minerals levels in your blood have dropped severely and have gone into your bones.”

Luke was afraid to ask, “Is it permanent?”

“It will be if you don’t do as I say. I am prescribing you a week’s bed rest here in the medical ward.”

“That’s it?”

“The alternate treatment is three days in a bacta tank, but I am not giving you that option because you lied to me,” Sophka said, starting Luke on a hydration drip.

“Can I at least be put in my father’s recovery room?”

“If that is what will get you to rest, then fine,” he said, filling out a chart for him. “I will send a porter and nurse in here. I have to get back to your father now.”

Luke only waited five minutes before a human female in her mid-sixties, wearing purple scrubs with her brown hair back in a bun, came in along with a young male Barabel. The woman introduced both of them. “Hello Commander Skywalker, I am Nurse Kyran Hosima. This is Iean Arhmz. We’re going to give you a nice warm ripple bath and then get you in bed.”

The thought of being bathed by other beings horrified Luke. “I’m extremely tired. I rather just be put in my room.”

“Kirak warned me about you,” she said. Iean started to push the hoverchair. “Doctor Sophka was very adamant that you get a bath. It will feel nice, trust me,” she continued, walking beside the hoverchair.

When they got to the steamy bathing room, Iean started one of the ripple-tubs. Kyran started to undress Luke and saw him blushing as she took his heavy tunic off. “Don’t worry deary, I have a grandson your age, I am not interested in seeing you naked. I have been a nurse for over forty years. I’ve seen it all. But if you prefer, I can get some of the younger nurses in here to do this.”

“No, please, no,” Luke said, thankful he didn’t get one of those weird 50-year-old fangirls as a nurse. Kyran actually reminded him of his Aunt Beru. Still, he turned beet red once she took his boxer briefs off. Iean then lifted him and put him in the water.

Kyran started to wash him. “I am trying my hardest to be professional here, but is it true? Is the Emperor dead?”

“Yes,” was all Luke could say, suddenly not embarrassed.

She nodded and finished washing his body and hair in silence. She rinsed him and toweled him off. Iean fetched pajamas and boxers for Luke. She dressed him and Iean placed him back in the hoverchair.

“I know it must be hard for an able-bodied man such as yourself to have to rely on others, but we want to see you get better,” Kyran said as they made their way to his recovery room. They entered and dim lights flicked on. Half of one corner of the room had dozens of machines and monitors set up. The other side of the room had a medcenter bed with a half-dozen blankets and two large, plushy pillows. After the past 72 hours, it was a very welcome site to Luke’s eyes.

Iean pushed him to the bed and lifted him into it. Kyran helped Luke position himself and tucked him in.

“Thank you,” he said, very grateful for her kindness.

“Is there anything else I can get you?” she asked, putting his hydration bag on the stand beside the bed.

“Can you get any information on my father?”

“Sorry dear, I’m only a nurse. I am sure he will be out of surgery soon. ” She put a call-button by his hand. “Press this if you want me to come back. Now, I want you to rest.”

Luke was sound asleep before Kyran and Iean left.

* * *

Luke woke, what felt like days later, in agonizing pain. The room was dark, but light from the walkway spilled in through the viewing pane on one of the walls. He saw stars and knew they were still over the forest moon of Endor. He looked down to see his cybernetic hand twitching and jolting. He looked to his side to see that his father was still not there. Luke fought the pain and managed to flick his thumb on his left hand to press the call button.

He waited for a few moments, then heard footsteps approaching and the door opened. It was Kyran.

“Commander Skywalker?” she asked softly, turning on one of the light panels in the room, casting a dim glow on him. “How are you feeling?”

“Like shavit,” he moaned. “How long have I been asleep?”

“About four hours,” she answered. “Is your cybernetic hand annoying you?”

“Yeah, and everything else just hurts.”

She nodded. “I’ll get a droid in here to look at your hand and get permission to put you on a painkiller drip. Anything else?”

“How is my dad doing?”

“I’ll see if I can get any information for you.” She patted his arm, then left.

She came back several minutes later with a Too-onebee droid trailing her.

“I’m going to start you on a standard painkiller line into your hydration drip while Too-onebee takes a look at your hand,” she explained.

“Sir?” the droid said, rolling up to him and scanned his arm with one red eye. “Records and scans indicate a high voltage electrocution has decalibrated your cybernetic replacement. Treatment will require a recalibration. May I do this now?”

Half in a daze from the painkillers entering his body, Luke nodded.

Kyran watched as the droid did his work. Once it was finished, she gave Luke a smile. “Better?”

“Yeah.”

“Doctor Sophka will come back in a few minutes to check on you and to give you a report on your father.” She then left with the droid.

* * *

Luke, not even knowing he fell back to sleep, woke to see several nurses followed by Doctor Sophka pushing a bed and several more machines and monitors into his room.

“Dad,” Luke mumbled, pressing a button to increase the angle of his bed so he could see his father.

Anakin Skywalker, or what was left of him, lay still on the bed, his skin the same colour as the sheets. He was covered with several blankets tucked in around the neck, but it was clear that his arms ended at about the elbow and his legs at about the knee. Wires and tubes flowed into and out of him like waves. A white band, that was attached to tubes and a ventilator, went around his neck. Tubes also came out of his nose, though his mouth was free.

“Get that cap on his head,” Sophka ordered. “He’s going to have problems regulating his body temperature.” The doctor then looked at Luke. “You should be resting.”

“You should have warned me that I was going to get bathed,” Luke countered. “How is my father?”

Sophka sighed. “It was touch and go for a while and we had to restart his heart a few times, but he managed to pull through. Like I told you earlier, we had to remove all cybernetic replacements and put him on external life support. He is also going through calcification like you. Half his organs were barely functioning, but we managed to treat most of that and he is on medication to help. His heart is doing alright considering his condition; we are monitoring it closely. We may have to replace some of the muscle. His lungs are what worry me the most; they have massive, decades-old scarring. He was on an inadequate respirator for many years. We gave him a tracheotomy. A tube has been inserted in his windpipe below his vocal cords. While he can still breathe on his own, a ventilator will have to supply him with a special oxygen mix for the rest of his life. His vocal cords are also scarred, but he will be able to use them. There are two more things. He is deaf. His eardrums have been destroyed beyond function.”

This surprised Luke, as he and his father had conversed. Then he realized that his father had been using the Force to hear him somehow.

Sophka continued. “We can give him hearing implants once he is feeling stronger. According to our scans, he also has vision problems. He is actually considered legally blind, though we do believe he can see loose shapes. We will get an optometrist to see if anything can be done for him. For now, he needs his rest, as do you.”

Luke nodded, taking it all in. “When will he wake up?”

“He is on very heavy painkillers, so it will be a few hours. Get your rest, then worry about your father. I will be back in a few hours. Nurses will be checking up on you both and I had better get reports saying that you were asleep.”

Luke nodded. Once the doctor had left, he used the Force to move his bed closer to his father’s. In the darkness he continued to use the Force to move his hand. He brushed his knuckles along his father’s cheek. The motion tired him, so he set his hand down and gazed at his father – his father that he had always dreamed of having – as he fell asleep.

 

Luke is such a great son.

Can you tag me when you start posting the new chapters, please?


And, how come you have stars and I don't?

 

This is soon going to come and bite Luke in the butt.

I would love to be tagged for future updates.

 

Bahahahaha! I bet if a certain redheaded Emperor's Hand made him that offer he wouldn't turn it down.

A certain point of view?! Luke should become a politician! What a whopper of a lie. LOL!

Nice chapter!

 

Great chapter, poor Anakin, he doesn't have it easy.

 

Hazel: Luke is the best son ever. Yep, I can tag you when I post chapter 5. I GOT STARS BECAUSE I'M SPECIAL! (I really don't know).

Lady_Misty : Luke will have his butt proverbially bitten. Yes, I shall tag you.

Jedi_Lover : Nope, he would not refuse a certain redhead if she offered to bathe him. Luke can lie because his mother was and twin sister is a politician.

Zer0 : Anakin's life is about to get worse.

 

Chapter Three

Mara Jade held her knees to her chest as she stared at out at the patterns of hyperspace, not sure what to do or what to think. Life felt so bleak now that her master was dead. She had been the Emperor’s Hand. Now, there was no Emperor and no place for her.

She had no home or any purpose. She could have stayed within the Empire and pledged her allegiance to Ysanne Isard, but the thought of having anything to do with that woman made Mara want to kill someone. The Empire was not an undefeatable force without the Emperor. In fact, she was finished with the Empire and its egotistical ways forever. Mara had made this point very clear to Isard, the Director of Imperial Intelligence who was now ruling the government, when she escaped the insane woman’s clutches just hours ago. Without the Emperor to reign, the defeat of the Empire by the Rebel Alliance was now inevitable.

Mara refused to cry. She was taught to be strong, she was taught to serve the man that she saw as a father without emotion. But could she be strong without him?

With his dying breath, Mara’s master had given her one final command and she would fulfill it, both for him and to rid herself of the constant reminder that he was no more. After that, she was finished with the Empire. Then…she didn’t entirely know what life had in store for her. For as long as she could remember, she had been the Emperor’s Hand. Now she had to figure out who Mara Jade was…and be her.

Emotions welled up in her. How could he die? How could he leave her like this, as a nobody? Why hadn’t he prepared her better? She could have taken his place for him. He had called her his child; why could she have been his heir?

Why didn’t he treat her as his child in death like he had in life?

Her master’s final command rang through her head. His voice both gave her comfort and made her want to vomit. It reminded her of what she had been and what she had lost.

YOU WILL KILL DARTH VADER!

* * *

Luke opened his eyes, waking up from his deep sleep, and smiled. His father was on the next bed, sleeping peacefully, no doubt, with the help of heavy drugs. He couldn’t believe that just last evening he had rescued his father from the second Death Star. Luke adjusted his bed so he could sit up. His stomach growled. He looked down and frowned. How long had it been since he’d eaten?

“Ah, the snorelax is finally awake.” Kyran entered, checked his vitals, and wrote on his data-chart. “How are you feeling?”

“Better, rested,” Luke answered, honestly. “Still a bit sore though. What time is it?”

“Mid-morning, Home One time. News around here is we are going to finish up above Endor in the next few hours and then head for Coruscant. Apparently, since both the Emperor and Darth Vader are dead, Director of Imperial Intelligence Ysanne Isard is ruling the Empire now. But there is so much confusion and infighting, the government is in shambles. Admiral Ackbar is already gone to see if he can take advantage of the situation and Mon Mothma wants to get going as soon as possible. But as for you, you are to rest and regain your strength. So, how do hotcakes sound for breakfast sound for the hero?”

Luke blushed. “I’m, um, not a hero.”

“Nonsense, you did kill the Emperor, didn’t you?”

“No, that would have been my father,” he said, looking at the sleeping form in the next bed.

“Oh, wow,” she said. “Well, you’re still a hero to me and heroes get hotcakes.” Before Luke could object, she spun around and began to leave. A weak voice stopped her.

“Do I get hotcakes?”

Luke turned to see his father, awake. He smiled.

“I’ll go get Clearia, your nurse,” Kyran answered before she left.

“How are you feeling, Dad?” Luke asked, reaching to rub his father’s shoulder. Anakin’s eyes looked tired and he had a blue cap on his head to keep it warm.

“Good. Better than what I should be. Better than what I deserve.”

“No, Dad. You deserve the best. You saved me from the Emperor.”

“One deed should not redeem me.”

Luke nodded. “Okay. If you feel that way, fine. I am still going to fight for you. You are a good man.”

Anakin rolled his eyes. “You are so much like your mother.”

Luke perked. “Tell me about her, please. If you want justice for all the deeds you were seduced to do, this might be the only time we get to spend together.”

He smiled sadly. “Her name was Padmé. The first time I saw her, I thought she was an angel. She looked and was a lot like your sister. I’m surprised I didn’t make the connection earlier. She was the Queen of Naboo for quite some time, before becoming a senator. She was the tiniest thing with brown hair and brown eyes and more attitude in her pinky than most men have in their entire body. She saw the good in everyone, even me. I loved her so much. She was the reason I fell to the dark side. I thought she was going to die. I thought I could save her. In the end, I killed her.” His breath hitched and tears ran down his face.

Luke was stunned at his father’s revelation. He didn’t know what to say or do as his father openly wept. Finally, Luke blurted, “I forgive you.”

Anakin looked at his son, stunned.

“I forgive you,” Luke repeated. “You might not forgive yourself, but I forgive you.”

Anakin turned his head and nodded. “Thank you, Luke.”

The two sat in silence until a young, very pretty, blue Twi’lek entered with a tray and a smile. “Hi Anakin. You can hear me through the Force, right?”

“I can sense the vibrations from your voice.”

“My name is Clearia, your nurse. How are you feeling this morning?” she asked, placing the tray on one of his bedside tables.

“I feel like I should have died on the Death Star,” Anakin said, truthfully.

“That bad, huh?” the nurse, said, putting her small hand on the blankets covering his shoulder. “I’ll see if I can up your dosage of painkillers.”

“I want off the drugs.”

“What?” both Luke and Clearia sputtered.

“I don’t deserve this. I don’t deserve to be alive. I certainly don’t deserve to be pain-free,” tears started to fill his eyes once again. “You deserve the truth, Clearia.”

“Dad. No,” Luke protested.

“I was Darth Vader,” Anakin said, tears streaming down his face. Waves of regret flooded the Force.

Clearia looked from Anakin to Luke, who nodded.

“Darth Vader was a monster,” she said simply. “You don’t look or act like a monster. Monsters don’t cry.”

“And monsters don’t kill other monsters to save their sons,” Luke added. “I promise you, if you want justice, you will get it. From Mon Mothma herself if you wish. But you promised me you would get better first.”

Clearia let out a deep breath. “If you want off the meds, I will need Doctor Sophka’s permission. Are you sure about this?”

“Dad, no, please. You don’t need to do this to yourself,” Luke begged. He turned to the nurse. “If he goes off the pain meds, then so do I.”

“Fine. Getting blackmailed by my own son isn’t something I expected from him,” Anakin mumbled. “But as soon as Mon Mothma has a free hour, I want to see her.”

Luke nodded, “If that is what you want, as soon as I get a comlink, I will get her.”

Kyran entered with a tray and set it on Luke’s lap. It contained a plate of hotcakes and a large glass of blue milk. “Enjoy, young man.” She then left.

Luke dug into his meal, starving.

“Do you want your breakfast, Anakin?” Clearia asked, taking a seat on a stool beside his bed.

“I haven’t had any solid food in a decade and even before then, most of my nutrients were delivered to me my liquid or drip.”
The nurse nodded. “That is what the doctors figured. That is why we are starting you on a semi-solid diet. For this morning we have plain pablum.”

“I guess the punishment for my crimes has begun,” he muttered as Clearia pressed the button that rose the head of the bed. She placed a cloth over his chest to act as a bib. Humiliation rolled off him as he realized he was going to be fed like a baby.

“Yeah, that’s right Dad. We don’t physically torture former Sith Lords here in the Alliance. We humiliate them,” Luke said with a small satisfied smile before he took a swig of blue milk.

“We also force-feed them gross food,” Clearia added, scooping some the pablum out of the small bowl in her hand and holding the spoon in front of his face. “Open.”

He did as he was told, making a face has he realized the soupy cereal had very little taste. He swallowed. A few moments later, he moaned in pain as his stomach started after being more or less dormant for two decades.

Anakin moved his stumps for arms like he wanted to clutch his stomach. The organ cramped as it slowly began its function.

“Do you still want off the pain meds?” Clearia asked sarcastically.

“No, please, no,” the former Sith Lord continued to writhe in pain. He hadn’t experienced this type of pain in years. He reached out to the Force to dull the pain and he was surprised when the Force actually let him.

The nurse put down the bowl and massaged his stomach over the blankets. “Does that feel a bit better?”

He nodded.

“I have to feed you the entire bowl. It’s not that big, but it will be painful. However, the more pain you go through at this meal, the less you will feel at dinner – we won’t torture you with a solid based lunch.”

Anakin gulped as he looked from Clearia to the small bowl of pablum. How could something so simple cause him so much pain? How could it defeat him like this?

Luke, now finished his breakfast, leaned over and put his hand under the blankets. He gripped the end of his father’s arm. “I’m here. You can do this."

Anakin nodded and opened his mouth.

It was a slow and painful process, but Anakin finished the bowl of pablum. Clearia gave him a final sip of water before she wiped his face clean and took the bib off him.

She set his bed back to its original position. “Now, you two boys get some rest. The remaining personnel on Endor will probably be coming on board Home One in the next few minutes and we will be heading off.”

Luke nodded. “Can I get a comlink? My friends are probably worried about me.”

“Maybe, if you are good and follow your father’s lead and get some rest.”

Luke looked over to see his father sound asleep. A smile crossed his features as he settled back into his pillows and fell asleep as well.

* * *

A few hours later, Luke woke to four familiar presences approaching. The rest of the strike team had apparently been evacuated from the forest moon of Endor. He pressed a button on his bed’s rails to adjust the bed to a sitting position as Leia, Han, Chewbacca and Lando entered. Leia was instantly at his side, holding his hand, saying a million things at once.

“Luke, are you okay? The nurses said we could find you in here but they wouldn’t tell us why. What did the Emperor do to you? Will you be okay?”

“Leia,” Luke said, trying to get her to stop. He set his hand on the green sleeve of her dress that she wore. He squeezed her arm reassuringly. “I’m fine.”

“What are all these machines for?” She began to shake. “Oh gods Luke, please, don’t try to be brave. It’s permanent or chronic and debilitating, isn’t it? It’ll be okay.” She brushed her hand down his arm.

“No, Leia,” Luke groaned. “I am alright.” He tried to explain, but she wouldn’t let him.

“That’s right, Luke,” she said, hugging him and rubbing his arm. “I’m here now, and you’re going to be alright. I’m going to take care of you. I’ll do everything you need.”

Han had gotten annoyed, so he snatched Luke’s chart from the end of his bed. He read it, caught Luke’s ‘help me’ look, and began to chuckle.

“Han!” Leia glared vibroblades at him. “Don’t laugh at Luke’s condition. If he needs me to blend his meals, spoon-feed him and change his diapers, I WILL.”

Han had passed the chart to Chewie and Lando, and they too were laughing. Luke even heard his father, now obviously awake, trying to supress wolfs of laughter.

“Kid, don’t resist her, she’s been worried sick about you since that Death Star blew,” Han informed Luke.

“This is not funny, you guys,” he whined. “Leia, read my chart. The Emperor attacked me with Force lightning. All I need is rest and a non-stressful environment,” he glared at Han, “And I’ll be perfectly fine.”

“Oh,” Leia, said, blushing as she read his chart. “Well then, I am going to take care of you until you are better.”

“Okay,” Luke said with a smile, knowing there was no fighting Leia.

“Uh,” Han raised his hand slightly. “I have a question.”

“What?” Leia asked.

“Who’s that?” Han said, pointing to the form on the other bed. Anakin had his eyes open, taking in the scene. Luke felt his father mentally cringed at what was coming next. All eyes were on him, including Leia’s.

Luke cleared his throat, built up the courage, and then avoided the question. “Leia, have you told them about us?”

She smiled as she turned back to Luke. “Of course, little brother.” She then glanced at the sad excuse of a man in the other bed. “Who is this?”

“Everyone, I would like you to meet the man whom I owe my life. He killed the Emperor. Leia, he’s our father.”

Leia turned as white as Anakin. “No,” she muttered at first, staring at Luke in shocked horror. She then glared at Anakin with pure distain and hatred. “No!” she yelled as she fled the room.

Anakin looked on, hurt and angry with himself.

 

Leia didn't take it very well, did she?

 

That could have gone better. *end sarcasm*

Luke just might be dead, at Leia's hand.

Wouldn't the order been to kill Anakin Skywalker?? But then if Anakin's years as Darth Vader is kept under wraps then it might take her awhile to find him.