Beyond - Legends Perfect (Post-ROTJ AU - L/V, father/son) [UPDATED 8/12]

Author?s Note: This story is inspired by a single moment in ROTJ, which is retold in the opening. Luke surrenders and has the ?talk? with Vader before he is taken to the Death Star, and two stormtroopers witness part of the discussion; mainly the line ?Then my father is truly dead.? When Luke delivers this line and steps into the lift with them, one stormtrooper glances at the other. That glance always made me think? what was that stormie thinking? So, years ago, I started writing this story to answer that question, and (of course) I abandoned it. Well, I found it and decided to finish it. I couldn?t remember where I was going with it, so I just took off in a direction that I know I hadn?t planned before. You might even be able to tell where I picked it up from the dramatic shift.

***The first three paragraphs are a retelling of a scene from ROTJ with dialogue from the film. That material is not mine.***

SUPER SPECIAL THANK YOU to DEJA, KITT, and RYAN. You guys saved this fic from a dismal fate.


- oOo-



CHAPTER ONE


The durasteel doors slid silently open to reveal a narrow corridor. Two stormtroopers stepped forward, wordlessly moving to flank the prisoner.

?The Emperor will show you the true nature of the Force. He is your master now,? Lord Vader told the other man, almost regretfully.

The young Rebel nodded slightly, and sadly it seemed. ?Then my father is truly dead.?
With that, he turned and walked into the lift of his own accord, turning to stare Lord Vader down as the doors slid shut again. The stormtroopers flanked him, and one threw a look at the other; this was no ordinary rebel.

-oOo-

Xelar Cometfaller leaned forward and rubbed his eyes as he recalled, once again, the brief interaction that had him so perplexed. His partner had thought nothing of it, but he knew there was something important about the young man they had escorted to Lord Vader?s shuttle.

He remembered the words clearly... Then my father is truly dead.

Was... was that boy Vader?s son?

If that were so... Xelar shook his head slowly... he couldn?t even think it.
He stared at the steel floor of his cell and groaned at his current condition: prisoner of war.

He had no idea how the battle had fared. He sighed just as the cell door slid open.

A rebel guard stepped forward. ?Come on,? he said gently.

Xelar frowned, why were the Rebels so... nice?

?Where are you taking me?? Xelar bit back. This is where he would knock the prisoner over the head with his blaster.

?The Council would like to speak with you.?

Xelar blinked in shock as he stood. Maybe he could find out which side won from this ?Council.?

-oOo-

Xelar walked side-by-side with the guard until they reached an unmarked door, the rebel pressed a button and it slid open. Xelar took a deep breath and stepped through without prompting.

Before him was a round table around which several individuals were seated, looking at him. This was nothing like an Imperial interrogation. He took an additional step forward, studying his audience more closely; many of them were recognizable from bounties. Princess Leia Organa, Han Solo, Lando Calrissian, Borsk Fey?lya, a few men whose faces were familiar but their names escaped him... except? his eyes landed on one young man and he paused. The man looked tired, sad... yet content, at peace. Xelar pressed his lips together, his eyes still locked on the blue orbs of the young man. The princess, at his right, stood to welcome him, ?Trooper Cometfaller...? She cut herself off, looking back and forth between the Imperial and the young man.

?I know you...? Xelar said softly, stepping around the table, slowly moving around the group of Rebels until he came to stand directly in front of the young man.

The two stood nose-to-nose for several silent moments, seeming to envelope the other?s soul with their eyes.

?You?re him...? Xelar breathed.

Another Rebel stood. ?Yes, Commander Skywalker is...?

Xelar raised an eyebrow and qui

 

Very interesting. A great start. Kinda ironic that Luke and a former stormtrooper will be partners. I love fics that are spawned from little scenes from the movies.

Keep it up!

 

Add me to the list please

 

Wow! Love it, may I be added to the pm list?

 

A/N: I haven't posted on this site for years... am I supposed to have a list?

madman007: Thanks! I've always love the AUs that have just one little detail that sends events spinning in another direction! I hope you continue to see the irony with Xelar.

Darth_Drachonus & LarsKronus: See author's note. I will pm you, that's no problem. Thanks for your interest!



CHAPTER TWO


Vader tapped his gloved fingers against the console of the small Imperial shuttle. It had been several days since Luke had left, insisting that he return to the Alliance fleet before going with him to his destination of choice. He smiled; he was greatly looking forward to the bond he would soon share with his son.

His Son.

He smiled once more as he felt the object of his thoughts rapidly approach; he set off to greet him.

-oOo-

Luke walked towards the ramp of the small shuttle as it lowered; his father must have sensed him. Xelar walked serenely at his side. The young trooper had Luke mildly puzzled; his interest in Luke?s heritage was not something that could be ignored. What did Xelar hope to gain tagging along with him?

?Who is this?? Vader?s rich voice broke through Luke?s thoughts; he looked up to find his father looking down at them from the ship.

Xelar immediately stepped forward, falling into a military stance. He saluted smartly, ?Trooper TX-127, Milord.?

Vader regarded the trooper with interest. ?Xelar Cometfaller.?

Xelar could not conceal his shock. ?You know my name, Milord??

?I make it a point to know every man under my immediate command, in the case of the troopers escorting my son? I made no exception.?

A look of pride crept slowly onto Xelar?s features.

Luke suddenly brushed by Xelar and onto the ramp to board the shuttle. ?I hate to break up the moment guys, but I think we?d better move.?

Xelar followed, smiling at Vader respectfully as he approached. ?Quite the kid you have there??

Vader tilted his head slightly at the young man.

?Ah, Milord,? he hastily added.

Vader watched his son?s retreating form for a moment before turning back to Xelar.

?Yes... I know.?

-oOo-

?What do you mean he?s ?gone???

?He requested leave after the meeting with Trooper Cometfaller,? Borsk Fey?lya replied calmly to Leia?s sharp question.

?There?s something wrong about Cometfaller... the way he and Luke acted around each other? something was not right.?

Fey?lya nodded. ?Yes, we are aware of this,? he didn?t indulge who ?we? encompassed. ?That is why we allowed him the leave.?

Leia frowned. ?What do you mean??

?We?re following him.?

Leia?s eyes widened at the other?s words. ?But Luke is on our side! You?ll risk his alienation??

The Bothan looked up at Leia through his fur. ?Luke Skywalker is not what he seems.?

Leia paled a bit, then simply turned and left.

Fey?lya mistook it as Leia being offended by the treatment of her friend, not Leia?s fear of how close the Alliance Command was to finding out her and her brother?s secret.

Wherever you are, Luke... I hope you know what you?re doing.

-oOo-

Luke was on the losing side of a political debate.

Xelar and his father would not relent in their Imperial opinions, and he would not abandon his revolutionary ones.

?My son,? Vader sat watching the young man pace across the gallery in frustration. ?You must learn to perceive the entire picture? not simply the convenient aspects.?

Luke stopped, pointing a finger at his father to emphasize his words. ?The Empire is unjust.?

Vader nodded slightly. ?It was, I agree, under Palpatine, but that is why I asked you to help me overthrow him? to bring order to the galaxy.?

?I remember those words too well, Father,? Luke answered bitterly.

Xelar quickly glanced at Vader, fearful of what his reaction might be? but only saw a slight flinch from the Dark Lord.

?Why won?t you turn from the Dark Side?? Luke was dragging the argument from politics back to religio

 

Nice update, very interesting plot line, especially the fact that Vader still lived, and also that he continues to follow the Dark Side, can't wait for the next one!

 

CHAPTER THREE


Blotches of white spotted the inside of his eyelids. Blood rushed through his ears, making him feel as though he were underwater. Drowning. His breaths sounded like thunderclaps. His pulse pounded in his throat. He was going to die. He was never going to know his father?s love. He was never going to know peace.

...and neither would Leia.

Luke could feel coldness welling up inside of him at the thought that his sister would die too. She had done nothing. She was innocent. But she would die, like everyone else, because of him.

First, he felt the viroblade leave his throat. He felt no pain. It must have happened quickly, he thought, I must already be dead.

But then he felt a thick, warm, wet drop on his cheek.

What?

?Open your eyes, Luke.?

Luke blinked in shock and the room came into focus. The first thing he saw was Xelar?s face, six inches from his own, his mouth slack and blood running from his nose. Another drop hit Luke?s cheek: it was Xelar?s blood. He gasped and pulled himself back on his elbows, Xelar?s hands were slack now and they fell onto the bed as Luke pulled out from under them.

Luke glanced at the figure standing over him and said the only thing that he could put into words at that moment: ?It took you long enough!?

Vader seemed vaguely amused as he waved his hand and Xelar?s corpse slumped to the floor unceremoniously. ?Pardon me for the inconvenience.?

Luke?s jaw dropped. ?He was going to kill me!?

Vader tilted his head. ?Luke, do you honestly think I could have brought a Rebel Special Ops. Agent all the way from Endor and not have noticed??

Luke frowned. ?How did you...??

?Besides the Force screaming out to me? I know all of my special assignment troopers? names and faces.?

Luke wiped at the blood on his cheek with his sleeve. ?But? but why did you allow him to come all this way with us? And why did you leave him in here alone with me!?

?A lesson.?

Luke balled his fists and clenched his jaw. ?You. Must. Be. Joking.?

Vader continued speaking as if Luke had said nothing. ?Two very important lessons: do not presume that your life is not in grave peril at any given moment??

?Gee, that?s optimistic...?

?And your Alliance has betrayed you.?

Luke was silent for several moments, his face drawn tight. Finally he spoke. ?They misunderstood my actions.?

?Oh? Then how do you explain your sister?s predicament??

Luke?s eyes widened. ?Leia!?

Vader nodded gravely. ?Now, my son, I suggest we show your old comrades what a real war is.?

Luke followed Vader quickly, casting a glance back at the crumpled body on the floor. ?Why do you care anyway?? he asked bitterly. ?Don?t you just care about ruling the galaxy??

Vader suddenly stopped and spun on his son, holding a finger in his face. ?She?s my daughter. Do not forget that.?

He turned away from Luke and continued to storm down the corridor. ?This war we wage against the Alliance now, it is yours and mine. It is not the Empire?s. This has nothing to do with politics...?

He didn?t complete his sentence. He didn?t have to.

-oOo-

Hanging on the outskirts of the radar scope of Home One, father and son sat in silence and contemplated.

The entire Rebel fleet was in orbit around the moon of Endor, and even if it weren?t, they still had little chance of smuggling an Imperial shuttle onto the Rebel flagship unnoticed.

Luke was slouched in his seat with his feet propped up on the console. Gnawing on a fingernail, he stared out the viewport at what once would have been a comforting sight. The shuttle had exited hyperspace under two minutes before, but the two occupants had immediately fallen silent. Luke was feeling nostalgic. Who would have thought he could have the same adventures with his father as he had had with Han, Leia, and Chewie? Reckless, impromptu, and likely to get one killed.

Vader made a small sound and glanced at Luke.

Luke looked over at him. ?What??

?Why do you have your