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Obi-Wan wasn't sure why he found himself heading to the old Lars moisture farm that day. He had been in the sector, had some time to spare, and found himself wondering how the place had fared in the past four years. Afterwards of course he realised it was the work of the Force, but at the time he simply found himself wandering around the buildings. Everything of any value was long gone, and some of the outlying buildings had been reclaimed entirely by the sand. But the main building was still intact and he wandered through the rooms remembering better times. Or at least different times, they had had their own difficulties. He froze as he entered what had been Luke's room, suddenly aware that he was not alone. A crouched figure in dark clothing, holding a vicious-looking blade, was already in the room. At first he wondered wildly if it had been a trap for him, if he was expected, but he dismissed the idea. He hadn't known he was coming here himself, so how could anyone else have predicted it? No, he was just unlucky that some fugitive had picked this as a place to hide out. And careless to have made no effort to check the place for life-signs.

"You have no wish to harm me. You want me to leave quietly" he suggested to the figure, using a touch of the Force to convince him that those were his own feelings rather than coming from his potential victim.

A short harsh laugh answered him, then "Well, one out of two, General Kenobi. But the bigger question is whether you want to harm me." He stood up awkwardly, his left arm pushed into the front of his jacket, and an ugly bruise discolouring the same side of his face. A shaft of light now hit him, and Obi-Wan took a sharp breath as he recognised the slim figure.

"Luke?" A nod in reply, not that he had needed it. The boy had become a young man since Obi-Wan had last seen him, but the 12 year old he had known so well was still visible in the features. Add the unmistakeable similarity to Anakin and he could not have been anyone else.

"Why would I want to harm you?" Obi-Wan countered. Actually he could think of a number of reasons, starting with how Luke had come to be here waiting for him, but he'd rather Luke told him which if any were applicable.

"Oh let's start with the fact that you've hunted me down to this place. Add four years with the Sith, and I think we can both work out why you might want to get rid of me."

So Luke thought Obi-Wan had tracked him, rather than vice versa. That at least was a reassurance that it wasn't a trap. But the Sith comment was true enough - if Luke had been training all this time, he'd be a skilled opponent by now. But that was a blade and not a light saber in his hand, which didn't make sense. No Sith would use such a vulgar weapon by choice - even if by some chance they were without a light saber they would use the Force directly.

"That would rather depend if it was four years with the Sith or four years as a Sith, wouldn't it." As he said it, Obi-Wan reached out with the Force to try to determine whether Luke was Sith or Jedi or neither, but he could hardly detect the young man through the Force - he was no more visible than any Force-blind person would have been. Obi-Wan frowned, Luke's raw ability had been significant even as a child, and it had taken all of Obi-Wan's skill to keep him shielded for as long as he had. Not that it had worked in the end of course, or the past four years would have been very different for both of them. But the fact remained, Luke should be visible, for good or ill, and he was not.

"I'd hardly be waving this around if I could use the Force, Dark or Light, now would I?" He sounded bitter. But then he seemed to pull himself more upright and his expression changed. "I'm tired of games Obi-Wan. Just tell me - do you plan to kill me?"

"No. I don't."

"Well, I'm glad I got a chance to see you again. I never thanked you for looking after me all that time. It must have been a pain, and I don't remember ever being properly grateful. I know now how hard it must have been. So, thank you, but now it's time to say goodbye" and with that he put the tip of the blade against the centre of his chest and shifted his grip on it.

"No!" Obi-wan grabbed the weapon with the Force, preventing Luke from using it on himself. "That's not the answer; it's never the answer, whatever has happened!"

"Don't you get it? If you could track me here then so can he! And I am never going to let that happen. I hoped you'd come to kill me and I wouldn't have to do it myself, but I have to do it, don't you see I have to?"

"Luke, I didn't track you, I can barely see you when you're right in front of me! Whatever you're doing to hide yourself is working. Your father won't be able to find you, I'm sure of it." As Luke's arm relaxed a little, Obi-Wan released his grip, though he remained wary. Luke sagged, weariness in every line, "It's not Father I'm worried about. He knows better than to look."

"The Emperor then?" A nod in reply. "Tracking aside, he might guess you'd come here and send troopers anyway. We ought to get away at once. And that arm looks like it needs some urgent attention, what did you do to it?"

Luke hesitated. "I bumped into a wall"

Obi-Wan raised an eyebrow - that was one hell of a 'bump'. But if Luke didn't want to talk about it yet, then that was understandable, the trust that had existed between them would take a lot of rebuilding, and rushing him would not help. But they did need to get away from here as soon as possible. "I have a speeder outside, and a ship docked at Mos Eisley. I have friends who can help with your arm, if you'll come with me?"

Luke seemed hesitant, but it was obvious he had few other options. "I take it your friends won't put anything on the Imperial database about treating me?"

Obi-Wan smiled "Oh they're not in the habit of telling the Empire very much."

Luke climbed into the speeder quite nimbly despite having only one working arm, and Obi-Wan found himself wondering again about the injury. Luke gave no further information during the trip however, and Obi-Wan focussed on getting them to the spaceport, into the ship, and away into hyperspace before making any further attempt to draw the boy out.

"It will be about an hour till we reach my friends, so you might as well get comfortable. Can I fetch you anything? There's only water and ration bars I'm afraid."

"No, thank you. I'm fine."

Fine but with a broken arm. Fine but suicidal at the thought of being found by the Emperor. Not quite within the range of what Obi-Wan would class as 'fine'. But then he had little to no idea what the boy had been through these last years, since Vader had found him and invited him to take his 'proper place' at his father's side. He had gone willingly, enthusiastically even, eager to know the father for whom he had longed all his young life. Had it continued to be a willing association for long? Had he regretted it almost at once, or had it taken time to reach whatever had driven him away now?

Luke was watching him with an odd expression. He may not be using the Force but he could read expressions, and Obi-Wan's had told him enough. "I don't regret it. I never have. There've been... difficulties. But if I had it to do over, I'd still go with him. He's my father and I want to be where he is."

"So... what happened? Why aren't you with him now? You said your father wouldn't look for you, but you're clearly afraid that the Emperor will."

Luke was silent for a long time, and Obi-Wan started to worry that he had pushed too hard, that the boy would simply clam up and refuse to talk. But after long minutes he finally spoke. "Father can't protect me from the Emperor. To keep away from the Emperor I have to keep away from Father."

"The Emperor... wants you to use the Dark side? To become a Sith?"

Oddly enough, Luke started to laugh at that, giggling almost hysterically. Obi-Wan watched him warily, his moods were too volatile, and far from the placid boy he had known. Stress and injury might be enough to explain it, but there was a risk that the instability went much deeper, that he had been damaged mentally and emotionally by his time with Vader. Even as Anakin he had hardly been a stable influence, as a Sith Lord his ability to adequately parent an impressionable youngster had to be in serious doubt.

Eventually Luke calmed himself, wiping tears from his face with his one good hand, before becoming serious again. "Sidious knows I'll never be a Sith. Or a Jedi. He worked that out back when I was twelve. Something... broke inside of me. I can't even feel the Force any more, let alone use it. But he still thinks I could be useful to him, and he wants me to live there in the palace, now that I'm older."

Obi-Wan still felt that every sentence left out as much as it included, but at least the picture was becoming clearer now. Luke loved his father and would have stayed with him, but once that was no longer an option he had run rather than be in the Emperor's direct power. The fact that he still felt loyal to his father would make things tricky though, where they were going. Speaking of which, they had better agree what story to give when they arrived.

"I think you've probably guessed already that my friends are members of the Rebel Alliance." An answering nod. "In the circumstances, I think it would be wiser if we don't tell them who you are. I can just introduce you as an old friend who I met on the planet, who doesn't want to attract Imperial attention but needs medical treatment. I'm not sure how widely the name Skywalker is known. Would you mind being Luke Lars for a while?"

Luke assented readily. He had no wish to be a hostage or bargaining chip.

Chapter Text

When they docked, everyone was friendly and helpful to 'Luke Lars', and they were soon in the medical centre, with a human doctor examining Luke's injury. After scanning the arm, he increased the field of the scanner to cover the boy's whole body, and looked with concern at the results. After setting the broken bones and getting the boy as comfortable as he could with powerful pain-killers, he went to speak privately with Obi-Wan.

"How well do you know the young man?" he asked with a frown.

"I haven't seen him for a few years. We used to be close before that"

"Do you know his family? Does he have siblings?"

Obi-Wan frowned, uncomfortable with where this was heading. "Why do you ask?"

"That arm's been broken before. More than once. Arms, legs, ribs, cheekbones, jaw, all broken, most more than once. Treated each time, so I have no idea why Child Welfare haven't intervened. If there are other children... ?"

"No. Just Luke." Obi-Wan paused. "I don't think we need to pursue it, and I'd sooner you didn't mention it to anyone else if you don't mind. I'm hoping he can get a new start here, it would be best if people weren't talking about his family life."

The doctor assented, and Obi-Wan went back to where Luke was lying on the narrow medical cot, a vague expression on his face, obviously affected by the pain-killers he had been given.

"How are you feeling now?"

"Oh fine, fine, I've had worse"

"Yes, the doctor gave me that impression too"

Luke started giggling again. "Father's temper is pretty legendary" he finally managed between laughs. No attempt to deny it then. And he still preferred his father over the Emperor, despite the history of injuries.

He had calmed a little now. "He never means to. It just happens. If he wanted to harm me I'd have been dead long ago, he could crush me like a bug. He just... loses his temper. Then things go flying, and sometimes they bump into walls."

"That's not okay Luke; I hope you know that it's not okay for someone to do that?"

A shrug. Four years of 'bumping into walls' when his father lost his temper. Force, what hope was there for a boy who had grown up with that?

Obi-Wan watched him carefully. He didn't want to force Luke into revealing private matters, but the effect of the painkillers had been to make him less guarded, and a better understanding of his life could only help in developing an understanding and hopefully starting to make him consider his life in a new light.

"Why don't you tell me about what happened after you left Tatooine? I often wondered where you were, what you were doing." It had seemed a safe enough topic, but the silence that greeted it made him regret his choice.

Finally a small voice answered him, with Luke's face turned away as though to pretend to himself that he wasn't really speaking aloud. "Father took me to Sidious. He couldn't keep me with him without permission; however he made it sound at the time." Obi-Wan nodded thoughtfully. Vader had made it sound so easy - leave Tatooine and travel the galaxy at his side. There had been no mention of having to ask permission.

"They argued. Sidious wanted me to give myself to the Dark side right away. Father wanted to wait; he argued that I would embrace it far more willingly once I had seen what it could do. Sidious refused, said I would have to stay on Coruscant until he could be sure of me. Father would have stayed there too, but Sidious started to question his loyalty, his commitment to destroying the Rebellion. So I said that I would do it. I wanted so much to stay with Father, and I thought I could always change my mind later. I'm sorry; I know that was wrong of me."

"It's all right Luke; I can understand why you felt pushed into it. But you obviously aren't of the Dark side?"

"No... I thought it would just be a promise. But Sidious took me down to the cells where there were prisoners, rebels. He wouldn't let Father come with us. He took me to a cell where a man was chained up, and told me to kill him using the Force. I didn't even know that anyone could do that, and I told him I didn't know how. But he put his hand on my head and showed me how, showed me how it felt to stop a heart, to crush a throat, to make someone's blood boil inside their body. And then he laughed at me and told me I'd stop being so squeamish once it was done. I said no, that I wouldn't, that he couldn't make me."

There was a long pause as Luke obviously relived the memories, then he continued "So he told me I had a choice. That he would kill the man, very slowly and with as much pain as possible. Or that I could do it, as quickly as I liked. I still wouldn't do it. But then the man started screaming, and cuts started appearing all over his skin, deep ones, where you could see his bones and all his insides." Another long silence. "Sidious cut him everywhere, but he still didn't die, just kept on screaming the whole time. And then I did it. I stopped his heart. And everything went quiet. Except, I didn't realise right away, it wasn't just the screaming that stopped, I stopped hearing the Force, stopped feeling it. Sidious realised though, he grabbed me and shouted at me, asking what I had done. Then he grabbed hold of my head and it felt like he was turning all my thoughts inside out. But he couldn't find what was broken, or fix it. Then suddenly he started laughing, like it was the funniest thing that had ever happened. I think he was more scary laughing than when he was hurting the prisoner. Eventually he stopped and told me what a clever boy I was, and that I should have my reward. And he took me back upstairs to where Father was waiting. He told Father he could keep me if he still wanted me, or throw me back, he didn't care in the slightest. And then he just walked away."

Obi-Wan watched the boy in silence for a few minutes, not wanting to break into his memories, and not sure that there was anything he could say that would do justice to the situation. After a while Luke spoke again, calmer now for having got through the confession. "Father had felt it when it happened, when I vanished from the Force. He told me later, he thought I was dead, that I had refused and Sidious had killed me. He said it was one of the two worst moments of his life, though he wouldn't tell me what the other was for a long time. At the time he just said that he wanted me to travel with him, like we'd said, that he never wanted me to be away from him again. And he hugged me. It was a bit weird and the suit got in the way, but it was definitely a hug." He smiled at the memory. "So I went back to the ship with him, and travelled with him, and it was just like he'd said it would be. Well, mostly. On the trip from Tatooine he'd been teaching me a bit with a practice saber, and some meditation techniques though he said he was very bad at them. Afterwards he put the saber away somewhere and we didn't talk about it again. I watched him practice sometimes, but not often. But he taught me other things, to defend myself with a blade or a blaster, or empty-handed. He got some of the troopers to show me stuff too, as I got older. So I'm not completely helpless."

"And you haven't felt the Force again since that day?"

"Not a whisper. I tried sometimes at first, thought maybe it was just temporary, but it wouldn't come. After a while I stopped trying." He stifled a yawn, clearly the pain-killers were allowing his exhaustion to catch up with him.

"I'll let you rest. If you need anything the doctor will be nearby." There was no answer, the blond head was limp on the pillow, the eyes shut and the expression relaxed at last.

Obi-Wan meditated, or at least tried to. He had never guessed when Luke left that he would be put through so much in such a short space of time. The loss of the Force must have been an incredible blow - though he spoke of it like a minor inconvenience, Obi-Wan knew of a few cases where Force-strong individuals had lost their abilities for a short time, and they had all struggled to cope with the loss of something that came as naturally as breathing. Luke was doing surprisingly well in the circumstances. Perhaps Vader's care had been better than he had previously feared? Or perhaps others had been involved in his upbringing? That seemed more likely, emotional stability had never been Anakin's strong suit so the chances of his having nurtured it in another were not high.

Eventually he gave up the attempt to meditate, and went to eat.

Chapter Text

In the morning Obi-Wan returned to the medical centre to find Luke awake and alert, his arm improving and the dosage of pain-killers reduced. The boy watched Obi-Wan as he entered the room, his eyes wary and his expression deliberately blank. "How are you feeling this morning?" Obi-Wan enquired.

"Better thank you." The voice was tightly controlled, giving nothing away.

Obi-Wan wondered whether to continue the polite charade, but decided it was better to get the reaction out of the way. "I suppose you've woken up in a lot of medical centres over the years?"

A long pause followed. If it had been Anakin, the explosion would have been immediate. With the younger Luke there would have been a smile and an agreement that he was accident prone. This Luke just looked at him, as if evaluating the possible responses before deciding to use none of them.

Obi-Wan cracked first, a rare occurrence. "I'm sorry. That was uncalled for. I know you care deeply for your father and don't blame him for anything that has happened."

"Good. I'm glad you understand that because it is important. Father has done everything he could to keep me safe, even when it cost him dearly, and I don't want you or anyone else to think badly of him for things he can't help."

"But now he can't keep you safe?" A nod in reply. "I'm not sure I understand though Luke, you've said that the Emperor knows you cannot use the Force, and he has no expectation of being able to change that. So what is his interest? Why does he want you to live at the Palace?"

Luke's colour had faded, and he would no longer look Obi-Wan in the face. "It's nothing" he muttered "Just forget I ever mentioned it, OK?"

Obi-Wan considered letting it drop, but since Luke running away to escape the Emperor had started this whole situation off, he was sure the reasons behind it were key to everything. "Would you be some kind of hostage? To ensure your father's behaviour?" he tried.

"This has nothing to do with Father! Why do you have to know anyway? It's got nothing to do with you. Just leave me alone!" and with that, Luke bolted from the room.

Obi-Wan stood in shock, Luke's mood had been volatile since they had met on Tatooine, but this outburst was the worst anger he had shown yet. In retrospect, blaming the situation on Vader had been a misjudgement, but what other interest could the Emperor have in this young man? He had no special talents, hadn't been exceptional in any way apart from his lost Force ability. Why would the Emperor be interested in this one young man, barely out of adolescence? He tried to picture Luke as if meeting him for the first time - short stature and slim build, Padme's shape more than Anakin's. Blond hair and bright blue eyes. Smooth skin, barely needing to shave yet.

Obi-Wan's stomach lurched. Luke was a very attractive young man, if sixteen year old boys were your kind of thing. And there had always been rumours about Palpatine back when he was just a politician, that the advantage of power and status was their ability to lure youth and beauty. Of course such rumours clung to many politicians, true or not, but those around Palpatine had lingered more than most. What if it were true? If Emperor Palpatine had developed that kind of an interest in Luke? And, if so, how much did Vader know about this?

He considered further. How bad was it? Luke was barely sixteen but the Emperor would hardly be worried about the legal age of consent. His reactions had been pretty extreme, running from his much-loved father to get away from the situation, and now running from Obi-Wan rather than even talk about it. This was more than just a worry about what might happen, this was fear of the known rather than the unknown. He needed to talk to Luke, to encourage him to feel able to talk about it if he wanted, to Obi-Wan or to the doctor or a counsellor. Not to let things fester.

The Force led him to where Luke was hiding, curled up in a corner of a disused room, his arms wrapped tightly around his knees. Obi-Wan sat down next to him, then said "I'm sorry Luke. I seem to be very slow on the uptake at the moment. Did... did it start right away, when he let you stay with your father? Or is it more recent?"

Luke stared at him, reading his expression. He must have been reassured by what he saw there because he replied "It started a couple of years ago. Father and I came back from a long trip, and Sidious kept on about how much I had changed, how I was growing up. I thought perhaps he would like me better now I was older, so when he invited me to have dinner with him at the Palace one evening when Father had to be away, I jumped at the chance. He had always seemed to just dismiss me as a boring child until then, and I know he said things to Father about me taking up his time and not being worth the effort, so I wanted to prove I wasn't just a silly child." He paused, reliving the memories. Obi-Wan stayed silent, knowing Luke would carry on now he had started. "It wasn't so bad at first. I didn't like it when he touched me, and it just felt disgusting to touch him, but it was only touching, that first time. He told me that maybe I wasn't as worthless as he had thought, but that it was up to me to decide that. And that he needed me to prove that he could trust me. We had talked earlier about how he had to trust the people who worked for him, how they had to keep what they did for him secret from everyone, even their closest family and friends."

He paused for a long while again, before continuing "I suppose it's sort of obvious now, he got me to keep it secret from Father without having to even say it out loud. And then later I couldn't tell because it had been going on so long and I couldn't bear to admit it, and even now because I know how Father would react and that's the last thing I want." He looked straight at Obi-Wan then, for the first time in the conversation. "If Father knew, he would confront Sidious, and he'd be lucky to get out alive this time." Obi-Wan's surprise must have shown on his face, because Luke nodded and carried on "He confronted Sidious about his plans, not long after I joined him. About the rebels, and how the Emperor's policies are making things worse and how the rebels have a point even if they are going about things all wrong. I don't know how he got back to his shuttle, but he was unconscious by the time it docked with our ship. He had left me up there; I should have guessed he was doing something dangerous. He was in the medical centre for weeks on life support, even his suit wasn't enough. And then it was months before he was properly well again. I won't let him go through that again, not for me. I'd kill myself before I'd let Sidious near me, but I'd still go back to Sidious rather than have Father suffer."

"I assume things got much worse then? You said it wasn't too bad at first?"

There was a long silence, and Obi-Wan wondered if he had overstepped the mark, but finally Luke responded. "It got worse every time I was back. We'd be away for months usually, so it hasn't been lots of times. He would make sure Father was busy, away overnight, and then he'd invite me to dinner. And after we'd eaten he would send all the servants away so that we could 'chat' in private. I think some of them knew, one or two of them would look at me like they were sorry for me. But they never said anything. My last visit home they had to send me to the medical centre in the morning, there was blood everywhere and I couldn't stay awake. But they still didn't say anything. Father was away till late, by the time he was back I was home and in bed. I said I'd caught a chill when he thought I looked pale the next morning. We came away again after that and I haven't been back since. But Sidious spoke to Father after we were back on the Executor. He said it was time he took charge of my welfare, that I was getting injured too often with Father, that if Father couldn't control his temper he would have to arrange rooms for me at the Palace where he could keep an eye on me. Father felt terrible about it of course, that his temper meant we would be separated again. But I knew it had nothing to do with that, it was just an excuse."

He was gazing into the distance again now. "Father did his best, and I kept away from him when I could see he was in a bad mood. But we both knew it couldn't last, and when he did this I knew that I had to run. If I had gone to the medical centre on the Executor then it would have been put into the records and gone straight to Sidious. So I begged Father to let me go. He still doesn't know why I hate the idea so much, but he knows I'll do whatever I have to in order to stay away from Sidious. So he concealed me all the way to a shuttle bay, and was going to fake the records and security footage once it was gone. With any luck, Sidious thinks I'm still there on the ship. Eventually Father will have to say I've run away but he was going to give me time to get far away before he did it."

"Your father must love you a great deal to risk Palpatine's anger. I have to say I'm finding it hard to reconcile what you say with what I have seen of Sith Lords in the past. They are not generally known for their caring nature. I must confess it is somewhat baffling."

Luke gave him a very odd look then, before asking "Can I tell you a secret? Would you promise never to tell another soul?"

Obi-Wan's sense of bafflement deepened. The boy had already confessed to killing a man, admitted that his father had caused him many serious injuries in their time together, and finally that the Emperor had been sexually abusing him for years. And now he wondered if he could trust Obi-Wan with a secret?

"Yes you can trust me. I promise." He hoped he wouldn't live to regret it, but he needed to know whatever Luke though was this important, and would just have to deal with the consequences.

"Father isn't a Sith Lord."

Obi-Wan waited for more, but Luke seemed to have said all he planned to. That made no sense at all. Obi-Wan found himself thinking back to his earlier worries about Luke's mental and emotional stability. Had his love for his father pushed him into complete denial of what he was? Had any of what he had said been objectively true, or had it all been an elaborate attempt to redefine the world into a shape which allowed him to believe his father was the man he wanted him to be?

"Luke... I'm sorry but I know your father turned to the Dark side long ago, before you were even born. However much he cares for you now, that isn't something that he can change." Obi-Wan tried to be tactful without giving false hope.

"You don't believe me." The voice was flat and emotionless. "You think he's evil, like Sidious. You think I'm just fooling myself if I think differently. You've barely even seen him in sixteen years but you're not prepared to consider the fact that you might have been wrong about him all this time."

"He turned, Luke. He did things..." Obi-Wan wasn't sure how to continue. He had told Luke next to nothing about his father when he had had the chance, leaving a void in which Luke could imagine his father to be a hero. He had certainly said enough about Darth Vader's character and actions, but never the link between them. No wonder the boy had been confused when Vader had arrived to whisk him off to the stars. If Luke's mind had manufactured a good and loving father out of the rubble he had been left with, then the fault was Obi-Wan's more than it was the boy's.

"He killed Jedi." Luke continued for him calmly. "He killed the younglings at the Temple. He was responsible for Mother's death, though she must have lived on for longer than he believed at first. He has killed and tortured more people than he can remember, and been responsible for the collapse of entire systems. And he used the Dark side to achieve all of that. But he isn't a Sith Lord."

"What do you mean, Luke? How can you possibly make that distinction?" Obi-Wan was clutching at straws - the boy knew everything of importance, how could his logic be so flawed?

"Because of his eyes. Sidious's eyes are always yellow. Father's go red sometimes, but they always change back. Sidious even taunts him about it sometimes, says he's still his 'blue-eyed boy'. Says he should never have given him his name, never have told everyone he was a Sith, says he's glad Father's face is hidden in the suit so that no-one has to know how much of a failure he is." The voice was flat but bitter.

"They... they're still blue?" Sith's eyes were red or yellow or somewhere in between. Never blue. "But when he turned to the Dark side I saw him, they were red. I saw them. Totally red."

Luke nodded. "They still do that, when he's been using the Dark side a lot. But they always go back. They're just like mine most of the time."

Obi-Wan stared in disbelief. He couldn't see why Luke would lie, and what he said of Palpatine's vicious comments rang true. But how could Vader have used the Dark side consistently for sixteen years without being overwhelmed by it? It was unheard of. Once a Jedi started down that path, there was no turning back. The Dark side would tempt him to use it more and more, until it consumed him. It could not be mastered, though the Sith prided themselves on doing just that, it took over their entire being until concepts like love and morality had no meaning to them. But Vader - Anakin? - had somehow kept out of that snare all this time, still felt love for his son, perhaps a somewhat possessive love, but love all the same. And morality. What had Luke said about his confrontation with Sidious? That he had called him on his plans for the galaxy, said the rebels' complaints had some validity? And been punished for it, as he must have known he would be. Not the traditional fight between Sith for mastery and control, but a fight for what he believed to be right against unbeatable odds. Obi-Wan frowned. What the boy said was consistent, and it added up to a situation far different from the one he had assumed all these years.

"Why does he stay?" the question was a sudden demand, he hadn't taken time to word it more cautiously.

"What else can he do? At first he thought he'd made the right choice, then that there was nothing to go back to, he knew it was a one-way ticket when he chose the Dark side. And he needed Sidious. For the first few years, it was Sidious's efforts that kept him alive, far more than the suit. It has got a bit better over the years; he can function away from Sidious for months, though it's still his doctors and technicians who have to work on it. Father can't do the maintenance himself, and Sidious makes sure anyone who starts to understand it too well gets transferred or worse. Without Sidious, it's either a quick death or a slow one. Before he found out about me, he had been thinking he might as well just take that option, at least then he wouldn't be making the galaxy any worse than he already had. But then he found out he had a child, someone he felt responsible for, and he couldn't just leave. He hoped I'd be strong in the Force, that he could train me, and that together we would defeat Sidious. He would probably still have died, either in fighting Sidious or if he couldn't get the suit properly maintained afterwards, but he would have fixed the things he got wrong first." Luke paused, with tears in his eyes. "He told me all that when he was in the medical centre. He didn't think he was going to survive and wanted me to understand before the end." His voice trailed off, the emotion still too raw.

"I have misjudged him all this time. I'm sorry. I still don't know how he has resisted it, but I believe you. His strength in the Force was always startling, perhaps that has allowed him to use the Dark side without it taking over."

Luke nodded. It seemed the most likely explanation. His father had certainly used the Dark side often enough in the years he had known him.

"So. Now what?" Obi-Wan asked him.

Luke hesitated. He hadn't intended to tell Obi-Wan about his plan, but then he hadn't expected to meet him, or to explain about Father. Perhaps it would be better to have his help?

"I know I asked before, but can I trust you? I mean really trust you, to help me do what I think I have to do, not to do what you think is for the best?"

Obi-Wan thought carefully. He knew that the answer he gave would be an important one. Luke didn't rush him, simply waiting for him to reach a conclusion. Finally he said "Yes. If you believe you know what to do, then I will give you whatever help I can. You were always a bright boy, and you understand this situation in ways that I don't. I will assist you."

"I need to find a healer, probably a cloner. I have a sample of Father's DNA, and some details of his injuries. I've read up as much about medicine as I can, and I think he needs a set of cloned organs to let him live without the suit. His heart and lungs barely work, and his digestive system isn't much better. The suit does everything for him, and there's no treatment for the kind of damage he suffered."

Obi-Wan nodded thoughtfully. He remembered the vile acidic air of Mustafar all too well; he had been coughing up blood for days after their encounter. Anakin had been right beside the boiling lava, too injured to move away, it must have burned through him as he breathed the thick fumes, damaging every organ it encountered. His survival had been... unexpected. He wanted to say something to Luke, to express his regret at what had happened, but he could not in all honesty say that he would not do the same again, and he would not lie to salve his conscience. Luke watched his expression, and then said "He understood, you know? Not at first, he said he cursed you with every breath for a long time. But when he saw what he had done, and realised that you had followed him there to try to save him, he forgave you for fighting him. Forgiving you for not killing him took longer, but he got there in the end."

"Thank you. I know that must have been difficult for him. I... wish it had not come to that. And now I wonder how things could have been if I had handled it differently. But there is no use in regrets, all I can do is try to improve things, starting from now."

Luke nodded. "So you'll help me find doctors then? I know there are cloners on Kamino, but they are too close to the Empire, so I can't go there. Is there anyone else as good, who could be trusted?"

"There is a facility, doing research into treatments which involve cloning the patient's own tissues. The Empire wouldn't fund the work as it had no real benefit to them, so they broke away. Several of the researchers are originally from Kamino. I think they would agree to treat him, as they argued very strongly that they should be able to treat anyone, whatever their politics, when the Rebel Alliance tried to get them on side."

"How soon can we leave?"

Chapter Text

The researchers were prepared to look at the DNA and assess the possibilities, though they wouldn't make any suggestions about treatment until they had studied it fully. Luke and Obi-Wan kicked their heels for several hours before the doctor returned with an unpromising expression. "I'm sorry" he told them almost at once. "The DNA has been badly corrupted. I assume the patient was exposed to radiation or toxins?" They nodded. "Unfortunately, the damage is too extreme; we cannot clone functional organs from this."

Luke's heart fell. He had been so sure he could get his father out of that suit and away from Sidious, but it was just impossible. Tears welled up in his eyes at the thought of his father's continued servitude.

The doctor frowned "Are you by any chance a close relative?" he asked. Luke nodded. "His son."

"Then there may be other possibilities. Could I take a sample of your DNA?" Luke assented willingly, and allowed the doctor to swab the inside of his cheek. Then they waited again for an hour or so.

Finally the doctor returned. "Your DNA is a very good match. It does open up other possible treatments, though there are downsides and risks to both yourself and the patient." Luke gestured to him to continue. Risks wouldn't stop him from trying to help.

"Even with this good a match, the recipient would need medication daily to further reduce the risks of organ rejection. He would need regular medical checks for the first year at least. He would be able to live a far more normal life than at present, without reliance on life support, but the ongoing need for medical care means it would not be as good a result as his own cloned organs would have given."

"And the risk to Luke?"

"The best results would be from taking samples of each separate organ, which requires a lengthy operation. And I believe you said time was of the essence?" They both nodded, they knew it would not be long before the Emperor realised Luke was absent and began to investigate. "The time taken to clone the new organs can be reduced with larger samples. We can give you medication which would encourage the healing and regrowth, but you would be weakened for some time, probably months."

"What kind of timescales are we talking about? With the largest samples?"

"Two weeks to grow the organs. A lengthy operation for the recipient, perhaps two weeks recovery time before he could leave the facility, then two to three months before he regains a reasonable amount of strength."

Luke's face fell. He had hoped they could do this quickly, his father could not be absent for weeks and months without attracting suspicion, and even the fact of his own absence would not be safe for much longer.

Obi-Wan pondered - "What if you went back?" he asked Luke.

"I can't go back with a broken arm, or looking weak and injured. It will be noticed and he'll get to know about it."

"What about smaller samples - something that would not incapacitate Luke so much?"

"We could take smaller samples and it would only take a day or so for him to recover reasonably. He'd still be feeling weak and unwell, and need the medication, but it would seem more like a mild illness than an injury, if that's what you need to avoid. And the arm is treatable - we can get that to mend by the time you leave. It would then be six weeks before the organs were ready for transplantation. Once they are ready we can keep them in that condition for months if need be."

Luke thought it through "So I could be back, looking ok, in a couple of days. I then have to sit it out for six weeks, then get Father here for two weeks minimum, then there's still the recovery time. It's do-able, though the two weeks could be tricky." He pondered again. "Those two weeks would be easier if I stayed on the ship to cover for him. Both of us absent is going to be obvious really quickly, but he has stayed out of sight for that long before. I hate the thought of him here alone though." He looked at Obi-Wan "Would you stay with him?"

"Would he want me to? I will do whatever I can, but he will need to stay calm and focus on his recovery. Would my presence hinder that?"

"I think he'd welcome it. He misses you. And you could talk about what happens next. I have no idea how we move on once he is well, I just want him to have the chance to change things. I don't know how to go about doing that. Maybe the two of you can concoct one of your old plans together?"

Obi-Wan laughed "Our plans never went to plan; we always ended up making it up as we went along. But I'd be happy to occupy him with such thoughts, if you think he'd accept my company."

Luke was on final approach to the Executor in a small shuttle. His arm was as good as new - the cloners could treat simple breaks far better than the usually available methods. He just wished their treatments could fix missing tissue as rapidly - his chest and abdomen ached from the surgery despite the smaller samples they had agreed. But he did not look injured, that was the important thing. He would simply dock with the ship, and hope that his father had managed to conceal his absence. The lack of a log entry for his shuttle's departure could be quickly dealt with - Father was an expert at that - so he would dock in the private bay after a 'short practice flight' which he was known to take from time to time, head back to his quarters, and speak to his father as soon as possible. He needed to be honest about everything now, so they could make the necessary plans.

As he exited the shuttle, he found Captain Piett staring at him. Without knowing what his father had said to cover his absence, he had hoped to get by without having to speak to anyone, but the Captain was obviously not going to just let him pass. "Skywalker - it's so good to see you a... around and about." he stammered.

'Alive' supplied Luke's brain. He's relieved and more than a little surprised to see you alive. What has been happening, what has Father had to say? How can I reply without making things worse?

"I'm sorry to have caused concern." That would cover most things, wouldn't it? "Would you let my father know I'm heading to my quarters now?" Hopefully Father would come straight there and they could sort things out.

"Yes, of course sir, I'll tell him right away" Piett definitely looked startled. Luke just gave what he hoped was a neutral but reassuring smile, and headed to his quarters by the route least likely to take him past anyone else he would have to speak to. He was in luck, getting through the ship without any further conversations, though he was on the receiving end of a few odd looks.

He had only been in his quarters a few minutes when his father arrived, and to his surprise he was immediately grabbed into a hug, which he was happy to return. He had missed his father so much in the last days, and was so very glad to find that he had been missed in turn.

Finally he broke the embrace to ask "What the heck have you told Piett about me? He looked like he had seen a ghost."

His father didn't answer him directly, but said "Come through to my quarters. I'd like to see you properly."

They went through the adjoining door to Vader's own living area, then through to the smaller room he had adapted to provide the medicated and pressurised atmosphere he needed without the suit. After a few minutes the pressure had settled and he took off his helmet and mask and sat so that he could look directly at his son.

"I rather think Piett believed I had caused your death" he said evenly. "Since he was accustomed to meet you frequently around the ship, he has been increasingly suspicious of your unusual decision to stay in your own quarters, and of my inability to provide any convincing reasons why you were choosing to do so. Given the volatility of my temperament, it is hardly surprising his first thoughts were that you had sustained an injury you wished to conceal. After a few days it must have been clear that such a serious injury would have required you to visit the medical centre. Since we both know there are no recent records for you there, he was left with the possibility that your injuries had been immediately fatal and that I was attempting to conceal this unfortunate fact."

Luke listened open-mouthed to this calm explanation. No wonder he had been getting some strange looks, the rumour must be all round the ship by now.

His father continued "Your arm appears surprisingly improved, but I can see that you have recently had surgery. I make no apology for invading your privacy in such matters; your welfare is of great concern to me whatever others may think."

"I, um, it's complicated. Do you have a while?"

Luckily, his father could spare him all the time he needed, which allowed him to tell the whole story. Or at least most of it. He skimmed over his explanation to Obi-Wan, but gave full details of the cloners and their planned treatment, complete with timescales. He hoped that his father would focus on that part of the story, and on making plans to fit the requirements, but unfortunately he had seen Luke's hesitation and came back to it once he was done.

"Luke. You know that I have always tried to respect your privacy, to allow you to have areas of your life where I do not pry." Luke nodded, not looking him in the eye. "It is painfully clear that you have chosen not to mention something to me, something about your reasons for leaving. I had hoped that before long you would confide in me without my having to ask. I am sorry if my behaviour has led you to believe that I do not care, or that I would be angry at you for anything you might tell me. But I... would very much like to know what has happened that you feel so deeply about. If you would consider sharing it with me I promise that I would do my utmost not to react badly."

Luke sat in silence for a long while. His father was being incredibly patient. If he did not tell him now, then there would never be a better time. He could stay silent, but he would have to keep that silence for ever, and never confide in his father about this whole thing.

"Sidious... hurt me. Not just once, but the last few times we've been on Coruscant."

Vader watched him carefully, before asking "And the nature of this 'hurt'?"

Luke blushed and turned away, he couldn't bear to say it out loud.

"I see." He looked up quickly at his father before turning his face away again. He did see, the compassion in his expression made it clear. "And you felt that you couldn't tell me because...?"

"Because you would confront him and he would kill you." Luke muttered.

"True."

He looked up, startled. He had expected denial, anger, even to be sent flying across the room. Not for his father to quietly admit that his assessment was correct.

"I still wish that you had told me. But, since the result would have been my death, without it bringing any improvement to your situation, I can see why you made the choice you did. I could wish that I had pried more at the time; I've known of your intense dislike of Sidious for long enough. But disliking him is such a normal reaction from any sane person that I could hardly view it as odd. The more you saw of him, the more you hated him. But you made no attempt to avoid your meetings, so I assumed you considered them a necessary evil."

He paused at that, clearly pondering that choice of words. "A necessary evil" he repeated. "Except that he is no such thing of course. He is very much an unnecessary evil, and one which the galaxy would be much better without."

"You'll kill him then? Once you're better?" Luke could hardly hide his eagerness at the thought.

"Yes. I have thought it must be done for a very long time, but have lacked the capacity. If I were free of this suit, and in even adequate health, then I believe there are ways it could be achieved." He paused for a moment. "I am not sure that I can promise to make it slow and painful however, I would sooner aim for quick and certain, unless you object strongly?"

"Quick and certain would suit me fine." Luke was startled to find himself calmly discussing the cold-blooded murder of the Galactic Emperor, as if he were any other kind of vermin. "But how?"

"There are many factors to take into account, and I shall consider the options at length. For now I am more concerned with how best to arrange a two week absence from my duties. I am sure if we are suitably cautious the six week period until the organs are ready will not be problematic, but it will be difficult to get away without Sidious becoming aware of it. The operation and immediate recovery were only a day or two, as I recall? For the rest of the time, I might be capable of communicating with Sidious via a link from the medical facility if it became necessary, although I would need the link to be initiated from here."

Luke frowned, "I was planning to stay here to cover for you with the crew, but I don't think I can get access to the communications room to re-route your signal. Not at short notice at any rate." If a call came through without warning, as Sidious's communications generally did, only someone with a high clearance level would be able to transfer it without the caller being aware of the change. And Luke had never been given that kind of authority - it would look strange to give him it now, and such authority could not be 'adjusted' the way a shuttle log or security footage could.

"We will need an accomplice. Someone with that level of clearance. And someone who can reassure the crew that I am merely 'meditating in my quarters' as I believe the euphemism goes."

Luke grinned. His father's temper was legend throughout the Imperial fleet, and it was unclear who had first coined the ironic term to describe his habit of locking himself in his quarters to indulge his most violent moods without endangering the safety of crew and vessel. But the term had stuck, and every crew member knew to avoid this entire deck area at such times. Only Captain Piett had permission to approach, and only then with suitable justification, such as a call from the Emperor or an imminent attack. And only then so that Vader could fly his Tie Advanced against the attackers and put his anger to a more productive use.

"Do you think he would do it?"

"I believe that if the two of us together asked him to walk barefoot across burning coals he would only pause to check the direction and distance before setting off. His loyalty to me has never been in any doubt, the only thing which causes it to waver at times is when it conflicts with the loyalty that he has developed towards you these past few years, which has put him under somewhat of a strain during your absence. His relief at your safety, and the knowledge that we are united in a plan, would provide the final impetus if any was needed. He would do it, certainly. The only question in my mind is whether to inform him of the plan immediately, or to wait the six weeks."

"If we tell him now, we get the advantage of his current feelings." Luke felt rather cynical at saying such things, but years spent with his father seeing how loyalty was built and nurtured had given him an understanding beyond his age. His father could never have achieved a fraction of what he had without a devoted crew behind him, and loyal Captains and Admirals throughout the rest of the fleet. "But he would have to conceal his knowledge from the Emperor if he calls, and that would put him under a lot of stress for a number of weeks."

His father considered. "I think we would do better to have him on peak form for the two weeks of my absence, that is when the need is greatest. And he will perform better then without having been under strain for weeks beforehand. However, I would like to give a few hints that we are working together on something important. I think we should let him know about your recent absence, though in terms that make it sound more planned than it truly was. You were away with my knowledge and approval, carrying out important but unspecified tasks for me. That will set the thought in his mind that something is coming up, plus introduce the idea of concealing an absence from others. His input will be necessary when the time comes, and he may well come up with ideas ahead of time."

"Agreed. And I would certainly prefer him to feel reassured that we are not at each other's throats, even if he can't know the rest of the plan yet."

Chapter Text

The six weeks passed more smoothly than either of them had hoped. Sidious kept his communications to a minimum, doubtless believing that he was giving Vader enough room to behave predictably, and that he was more likely to snap without too many reminders of Sidious and his intention to remove Luke at the first new injury. Piett had been visibly relieved to hear that Luke had in fact been off the ship on unnamed 'errands' for his father, and had made no comments or enquiries about the detail. But both Luke and Vader knew how his mind worked on any topic that was introduced to it, and had no doubt that, if asked, Piett would be able to provide several scenarios to explain the absence of either of them for assorted lengths of time. And that he would put the associated plans into action, smoothly and efficiently, when the time came.

And so, a few days before the organs were due to be ready, Vader called Piett to his quarters to outline the requirements. As expected, the captain showed no hesitation in checking the details - the fact that Luke could remain onboard, the expected timescale of two weeks, the need for medical assistance on his return, the vital need for secrecy from the Emperor (which he accepted without so much as a twitch) - and then suggested the most convincing mechanism for achieving their goal. Vader should spend the next few days giving occasional, and increasing, signs of bad temper. Luke should be seen to be avoiding his father again. Immediately before his planned departure, Vader should lose his temper over something fairly trivial, at Piett if he wished, and then retreat to his quarters. The shuttle could be ready for his departure from the private bay immediately afterwards.

During his absence, Piett would route any calls from the Emperor to 'Vader's quarters' but in fact to the medical facility, except for the brief period around the operation when Vader would be unavailable due to a 'minor technical difficulty with his suit', which was a euphemism for 'barely able to breathe and certainly not to talk'. This would also be Vader's explanation for any weakness in his voice if and when he was contacted at the medical facility during his recovery, or on the ship for some period afterwards.

Luke meanwhile would be visible around the ship, finding ways to keep busy well away from their quarters for as much of the day as he could reasonably manage, silently confirming that Vader was in there and best avoided.

After some deliberation, Vader and Luke had decided to admit to Piett that the purpose of the absence was medical treatment, since there would be an ongoing weakness after his return, but they had not given any further information. Piett had not enquired, but it was clear that he approved in general terms. Vader's health had been a growing worry since his lengthy confinement to the medical centre soon after Luke's arrival, and Piett could not help but be aware that the Emperor's technicians were making no improvements to the life support suit despite the increasing frequency of those 'technical difficulties' which left him gasping for breath. So far, the crew had remained in ignorance of their commander's worsening health, since Vader simply stayed in his quarters when he had such issues. His visits to the bridge and to other areas of the ship had deliberately never followed a set routine, so Piett and a few other senior officers were the only ones who knew just how often he missed planned meetings.

Luke said his farewell to his father on the morning of the planned departure. He would have to avoid his father for the rest of the day to confirm the assumption about his mood, and would not see him off in the shuttle. There was no reason to fear that anyone would see or hear anything untoward, but it was safer not to risk anything which might raise a question in the time that followed. Two weeks was a long time for Vader to 'meditate' so it was important to set up the scenario to be as convincing as possible.

It felt strange that evening to return to their quarters and know that he was absent, and Luke wandered through his father's rooms before returning to his own smaller living area and securing the connecting door. For the next two weeks his father was inside there, in a violent mood that he could barely control, and Luke's behaviour must confirm that fact without falling into the trap of overacting. It was such a large 'truth' that it only needed the tiniest of hints to highlight it - to put a spotlight on it was to invite scrutiny.

During the two weeks he was happy to be away from his quarters, in all honesty, finding all kinds of scarcely-necessary tasks to busy himself with and returning only late in the evening to sleep. He was even eating his meals in the communal mess-halls, whichever one was nearest when he felt hungry. No-one commented about his father, though a few conversations went suddenly quiet on his arrival, and he received plenty of sympathetic looks. The crew's loyalty to his father was unshakeable, but many of them had been on the wrong end of his temper, and all of them had heard the stories of his more dramatic outbursts, thankfully now in the past. Their love for their commander did not stretch to envying Luke's home life.

Finally the two weeks were up, and Luke spent his time fidgeting with one thing after another, unable to focus on any task for long. He didn't even know if his father would return exactly to schedule since there had been no communication between them, to avoid any risk to the security of their venture. Fortunately that silence had also extended to Sidious - he had not been in contact, so the elaborate plans to reroute his signal had gone unused. Vader had told Luke that Obi-Wan would get in touch through a coded channel if there was any urgent need, and Luke had done his best not to think about why that step might be needed. The idea of his father undergoing major surgery far away from him was terrifying, and thoughts of all the things he had not said before their parting weighed heavily on him. He did not even know the planned date or time of the operation. He had been unable to decide if that was a good or a bad thing. He would have been even more distracted if he had known his father was under the knife at that exact time, but the possibility that it could be now had occurred to him at random points over several days, stretching the distraction out over longer.

Finally, Piett informed him, very privately, that his father had returned and was in their quarters. As it was already late in the evening he wasted no time in going back there to see him, but as he approached he was horrified to hear the all-too-familiar sounds of furniture being thrown around the room and smashed into the walls. Had the operation been unsuccessful? Was his father in pain and distress? He hesitated to go in, yet he had to know. As he neared the door, the sounds ceased, and he went in cautiously and looked around. His father was still in the hated suit, paused in the act of slamming a metal chair into the communications panel - a frequent victim of his bouts of uncontrollable anger. Luke paled and wondered if he would be better to leave again before he sustained the injury that would send him back into Sidious's clutches. But then his father visibly calmed himself, put the chair down carefully, and reached out to him with arms open and welcoming - "Just finishing up the last part of this charade" he said, and Luke ran to hug him in relief. After a few minutes, he disengaged from the strong grip and asked "How are you? Is everything OK?"

"Far better than OK, my son. My recovery was much faster than the doctors hoped - I had to stay there longer than I might just to adapt the suit, as its attempts to pump pressurised air into my new lungs would have done me far more harm than good now. It still has all the appearance of its previous functions, but no longer pressurises the air and it is completely detached from my body now. I will have to wear it to keep up appearances though, much as I dislike the sensation. We will have to complete our plans before I need to see the technicians again, they would see at once what I have done to it."

"The sooner the better, if you're really well again! Did you and Obi-Wan come up with a plan?"

"A few options. But they rather depend on some factors I do not control." His voice was serious - even through the vocaliser Luke could pick up on some aspects of his mood. "The first is the greatest - what role would you like to play in this?"

Luke thought carefully before answering. This was a question that had bothered him since the possibility of action had first occurred to him. "What I would like, if I had the choice, would be to be there and be very much involved in whatever you choose to do. But I realise that I could simply be a liability in any struggle involving Sidious, and I don't want to increase the risk by being selfish."

His father nodded "That is what I would have guessed. If your preference is to be there then I think it can be arranged. And I believe there may be a way in which you can increase my chances of success, despite your inability to use the Force. Obi-Wan told me of some he had met whose ability to perceive and use the Force had been damaged. One such was with him at a time when he badly needed assistance. He cast out wildly to pull in as much of the Force as he could, and found that his companion was still channelling and focussing the Force though he could make no direct use of it. Obi-Wan was able to make use of the additional strength to overcome his enemy."

"And you think I might be doing this?" It had never occurred to him that he had any connection to the Force, he certainly had no perception of it.

"If you are willing, I can find out. But we will need to be cautious. If I start using the Force more than I have been able to in recent years then Sidious is likely to become aware of it. I shall have to avoid using even what I have regained with my improved health. But I think we can ascertain whether it is possible, in general terms at least."

They soon found that Luke did indeed channel the Force as strongly as he had ever done, and with practice Vader was able to make use of the additional power, which then replenished within a few hours. All that remained was the details of a plan to make use of this to catch Sidious unawares, as any time to prepare would negate their efforts; he was too powerful to be beaten in a fair fight even with their combined strength.

They discussed various scenarios, even considering Luke sustaining an injury which would require them to return to obey Sidious's command. But that would be visible to the court if and when Vader took control of the Empire, and it would be better if any rumours concerning his treatment of his son could be kept quiet. His reputation within the Empire in general was of brutality only when the situation called for it, and a badly-beaten teen at his side would not encourage trust no matter what was written into the legal documents of succession. He was Palpatine's sole heir, but only if the hierarchy accepted him as such, and it would be best not to stretch their concerns too far. Likewise it would be better for Palpatine's death not to appear suspicious. Luke had wondered at first if his father would choose simply to deal with Sidious in the most direct way, but Vader's conversations with Obi-Wan while recovering from the operation had apparently convinced him that the galaxy would be better served by him taking over control peacefully, and then making changes quietly from within. The alternative would risk civil war throughout the empire, in which many innocents would lose their lives. If it could be done more subtly then Vader, with Luke at his side and Obi-Wan working within the Rebel Alliance, could start moves towards peace and reconciliation.

In the end, they could not think of a convincing reason for an early return and determined to wait until Palpatine sent for Vader to report on the campaign, which would likely happen within a few weeks. To encourage that, Vader would make his reports as brief as possible, since the Emperor was not a patient man and liked to be kept informed in detail.

It did not take long. Within a month of Vader's return, a peremptory summons had arrived, requesting him to attend the Emperor at Coruscant to provide a full update.

And so they found themselves waiting outside the throne room. Palpatine might be keen to bring them across the galaxy, but he was still more than capable of petty delays to remind them that they were to await his convenience rather than the other way round.

Finally they were ushered into his presence, and the guards left. That was not normally a good sign, as it generally meant that Palpatine intended to shout and rail at his second in command for his failings, real or imagined. However on this occasion they were glad of it, as it meant Vader would not have to make any effort to annoy him and therefore have them sent out. Privacy was vital.

Palpatine completely ignored Luke's presence and, true to form, began to detail all the ways in which Vader had failed him recently. Since the campaign had been going smoothly, this was utterly unfair, but it would be more convincing if the Emperor had a reasonable length of time to work up his anger, so Vader accepted the criticism meekly. After ten minutes or so, Luke felt a familiar pulling sensation pass through him and knew that his father was preparing to make use of the additional power he could channel. Palpatine paused in mid-rant, clearly detecting something unusual, but had no opportunity to make any move to defend himself before Vader pulled up Force lightning, using both his own power and what he could take from Luke, and struck the Emperor down with an intense sustained bolt of the energy. The surprised look on his face remained even as his body fell to the floor, a wave of dark energy flowing out from it as his spirit departed. Luke, to his surprise, felt the energy pass through him - but no doubt it was strong enough to be felt even by the Force-blind.

Luke ran and called the guards in, shouting at them to fetch medical assistance for the Emperor, and they obeyed though he could see from the glances between them that they could tell he was beyond what any doctor could do. The doctors were soon there, carrying out all the necessary checks although they could see even more clearly than the guards that their role was only to officially pronounce what was self-evident. They politely enquired of Vader and Luke as to the circumstances and nodded sagely at their recounting of the events which had led up to this point. Apart from one tiny omission they told the truth - that Vader had been giving a report, that the Emperor had been agitated, even angry, that he had suddenly clutched at his chest and collapsed exactly as he was now. The conclusion was hardly in doubt, and even a post-mortem examination would be unlikely to make them doubt it - a sudden massive heart attack. Even if they had any awareness of Force lightning, or if others heard and considered the matter, they would conclude that it must have 'backfired' on Palpatine, since it was known that Vader did not use that technique.

For such a momentous event, and for all the planning it had taken, the death of the Emperor had been such a quick and simple thing. In the days that followed, it turned out that taking over an Empire and starting to change its direction was strangely simple as well. Palpatine's rule had been so absolute that everyone in the hierarchy looked automatically to the top for their instructions. They may or may not have been happy with Vader's plans, but they were all quick and obedient at putting them into action. Those who held power knew they held it at the whim of their ruler, and they seemed to have quickly decided that, since they had no plans to directly challenge Darth Vader for his position, making sure they carried out his orders promptly was their best bet for continuing in their roles. And possibly their lives.

A state funeral was held, of course, and Vader took the opportunity to recall the Senate to sit shortly afterwards. Since he also declared a temporary amnesty for any legal actions against Senators, to cover both events, even those senators who had been active in the rebellion took the opportunity to attend, and between public and more private meetings Vader was able to meet with them and convince them to at least allow him time to show that his offer to return to a more democratic system was genuine. Obi-Wan was a major factor in his success there, since the assurances of the Jedi were more convincing than anything Vader himself could have said or done.

Within months, limited democracy had been reinstated, with an agreed timescale for consideration of further changes. A cease-fire with the rebellion had been called and was holding, although there were a few on both sides who had broken away and were continuing hostilities. Empire and rebel forces were working together to bring them in line where possible, and to arrest or kill them if required. There were tensions, but nothing insurmountable.

And, best of all from Luke's own point of view, his ability to perceive and use the Force had returned, and both Obi-Wan and his father were training him. His father's health was so far improved that they could spar together with light-sabers, or even for his two teachers to spar against one another. They had both been a little tentative at first, but the pleasure at having a worthy opponent to train against had outweighed the awkwardness.

For the first time in years, the galaxy was free, and so were Vader and Luke.