A Different Path By Marc Martinez
When Darth Vader stepped out into the bright sunlight from the darkness of the escape pod, the reality of his predicament hit him as fast and as hard as the intense dry heat of the barren desert wasteland. The cooling system in his protective suit engaged instantly as he scanned the environment. This was the last place in the galaxy he ever wanted to be and the first one he feared ever setting foot on--again.
His fear immediately became seething anger; anger towards his command crew aboard The Devastator for failing to properly secure the small blockade runner in its hold--anger towards his company of Stormtroopers aboard the captured vessel for failing to secure the Rebel prisoners--anger at his own failed attempt at retrieving the stolen transmissions of the Death Star readouts before the Tantive IV had been set to self-destruct, taking his Star Destroyer and all aboard with it. He cast his eyes in all directions until he saw a speck of gleaming metal on the horizon and recognized it as the other escape pod that had jettisoned previously. Though no life had been detected aboard the small craft, Vader knew as clear as day that the plans had been hidden within. As he began walking towards it, he noticed countless fragments of debris raining from the sky in long black cloudy trails high above as they pierced the atmosphere. The local Jawa clans would be out tonight in great numbers.
He fought to remain focused on the other escape pod as memories of a young boy with dusty blond hair began to surface from a place which he had long since locked away, buried deep in the past. The brightness of his home world and its scorching twin suns easily plucked them from the blackest recess of his mind. The face of a small dark completed boy surfaced, full of laughter. He always enjoyed helping with the construction of a certain pod racer. Vader cast the memory aside, but each footstep brought another recollection, each more fond than the previous, each more painful to recall until the warm smile of the tender woman who meant the galaxy to him emerged. He struggled to maintain control of his emotions as he recalled the night he found her only to lose her again. He had failed to save her. He had failed to save everyone that he had loved. Once more conflict roiled inside his soul, tearing at him. He clenched his fists in despair and rage and ignited his lightsaber as if to strike down the first thing that crossed his path, only there was nothing but the sand. He remembered his utter hatred of sand. It was everywhere and always got in everything. He listened to the humming sound of his bright crimson blade and felt the vibration of its power and focused on it until he finally reached the escape pod. He looked inside to find it empty. He searched for any signs of the stolen plans, but to no avail. The only sign of activity was two sets of tracks leading in opposite directions. One seemed to be bipedal and the other more obscure--three parallel lines--surely a droid.
Vader stretched out with his feelings. If there was any civilization, it was at least a day's walk, maybe two. If it hadn't been for his life support system, he knew the inhospitable desert would claim his life today. He found his plight intriguing. He was about to follow the footsteps when something faint within him stirred. There was something about Tatooine that was more familiar than the world he had once called home but was unable to determine what it could be. He turned around and decided to follow the parallel tracks, which led to distant mountains when he noticed a shining metal ring half buried in the sand. He stooped to pick it up and recognized it instantly as having come from an astromech droid. With a stronger determination he increased his pace towards the rocky formations of the Jundland Wastes.
--
The evening suns cast a warm orange glow against multiple crags, mesas, and plateaus, creating a stark contrast against their long purple shadows behind them, which stretched towards the dunes on the horizon. The fiery red clouds above caught Vader's attention and reminded him of the molten fires of Mustafar burning endlessly as the torment that made his fall to the Dark Side complete.
He finally reached a rocky path leading to a small canyon and looked around. There was no sign of the tracks that he had followed all day. He stopped to rest for a moment and leaned up against a large rock. He sensed danger around him, and as he focused on the force, a voice from the past echoed in his mind.
Be mindful, Anakin. He looked around as if to find the source, but he was alone--alone with all the voices that he had carried with him for many years, only this one was different. He focused more intently this time, not only at the present danger, but also at pushing the voices and memories back that had pressed against him all day, festering and chaffing like the sand that had made its way into various seams and gaps in his boots and armor. He contemplated the extra maintenance required to remove every last grain when he returned to his master.
Anakin! Vader looked up to find shadows moving between cracks in the rock face. He stood up and squinted, sneering at the sensation that engulfed him. No sooner had he realized who had been stalking him than the familiar sounds of their howls echoed through the canyon. And then they charged, ready to attack with their primitive ferocity.
A raised black glove sent the first wave of assailants back through the air with arms flailing and gaffi sticks flying. In the same motion with his other hand he activated his lightsaber, raising it to the ready. In a moment's breath the remaining Tusken Raiders fell to the ground, paralyzed with utter fear. Through the Force, he pulled the nearest one off the ground towards him with powerful speed and stabbed it through the heart with an uplifted glowing blade. He deactivated his lightsaber, leaving the creature to slump to the ground. He turned to the rest and once more ignited his weapon and began walking forward slowly, menacingly, relishing each moment and sensing their terror, unaware that he had become a monster in their folklore; a legendary demon capable of wiping out entire clans with a sword of blood and fire. His hatred toward these contemptible animals burned deeper than any hell and he savored every stroke as he felled one Tusken Raider after another that failed to rise in time to flee. Finally the dark canyon was quiet except for the sounds of his mechanical breathing and the humming of his lightsaber, which splashed red hues against his polished black armor. They were gone, as was the voice. He remembered hearing it once before. It was the night that he allowed himself to slip deep into the Dark Side of the Force. It was here on Tatooine in a similar setting. He gazed into the twilight sky at the stars and remembered how clearly he could once see them without the use of his hermetically sealed mask. He cast the thought aside, deactivated his lightsaber and continued forward. He would retrieve the Death Star plans if it meant killing every last pathetic creature on this planet.
--
Vader emerged from the canyon into the open desert and stood silently as he gazed across the starry horizon. He paused, unsure of which direction to travel. Memories poured into his mind of a childhood which seemed to belong to someone else--a childhood of mischievous deeds and childish adventures with friends that had been long forgotten. He cast each vision aside while trying to catch a glimpse of any familiar landmark. The endless sand dunes seem to move in dark shadowy waves against the brightly moonlit landscape. He moved forward, though after only a few steps he faltered, overwhelmed by vertigo. His respiratory system had been compromised during his encounter with the Tusken Raiders. The air processing filter in his respiratory intake began to malfunction. It had become clogged with foreign matter, making his mechanically autonomous breathing labored. The night sky began to swirl in front of him as points of light melded with the vast barren wasteland.
The sand! Before he could react, the ground rushed up as complete darkness engulfed him.
It gets everywhere. The heavy rumbling of a large craft approached, causing the sand to settle down around the prostrate Sith Lord, whose air barely cycled through the respiratory intake in his helmet. The life support system, which was controlled through the panel of his chest plate assembly now covered by sand in almost every seam and joint operated just below normal levels. It was enough to rouse him from unconsciousness. He was barely coherent enough to witness a massive pair of metal treads roll in front of him. The giant Sandcrawler squealed to a halt as external lights illuminated beneath the large craft while small ports released bursts of steam as it shut down. His head fell to the sand as he once more slipped into unconsciousness.
A large door lowered from the Sandcrawler, exposing a set of steps that led from the main entrance to the ground below. A small group of exuberant Jawas quickly descended with weapons and various tools in hand. They had seen many kinds of droids, machinery, and bipeds, but nothing so complex as the figure that lay before them. They stood quietly listening to the weak mechanical breathing sound that emanated from his helmet. They scanned him from head to foot, noting the intricate technological attachments that were grafted onto his organic frame. Unable to fasten a restraining bolt to any mechanical part of him, they secured his ankles and wrists with a pair of rudimentary binders. They opted to carry him into their cargo hold from the entrance through which they came rather than scoop him up from the main access tube to avoid damaging the sensitive circuitry, coverings, and the hermetic seal that kept him alive. If the local farmers weren't interested in buying him, a Hutt could certainly be persuaded to benefit from their find.
Drifting in and out of consciousness rendered the incoherent Sith Lord unable to repress the ever surfacing memories that plagued him since the day he pledged his allegiance to the last man he would ever call master.
It's working! It's working! He remembered a time when he felt free. He could feel the wind against his face as he whizzed past rock formations at incredible speeds and it made him feel like he could fly. For the first time in more years than he could remember he felt rapture and welcomed it.
This is pod racing! His visions changed as quickly as they surfaced, constantly stirring different emotions. His feelings could change from ecstasy to despair to fear from one moment to the next. In time he had learned to subdue his memories and control the emotions that they left in their wake.
I will become a Jedi and I will come back and free you Mom. I promise. Vader lay still in the cargo hold, oblivious to the many droids and pieces of scrap that surrounded him in the dimness. A small droid backed into a corner, trying to stay hidden from the form that it recognized too easily. Everything inside the hold moved in unison from the upward and downward movement of the Sandcrawler that navigated the many dunes outside.
Now be brave and don't look back. Don't look back. Mom... Annie? Is it you? I'm here Mom. You're safe. Hang on. I'm going to get you out of here. A barely conscious Vader began to tense in the dark cargo hold. The anticipation of the inevitable was more than he could handle. His body twisted and turned as if a thousand vibroblades were cutting into him.
You look so handsome. My son, my grown up son. I'm so proud of you, Annie...I missed you so much...Now...I am complete. Tears formed in the Dark Lord's sunken eyes as he fell limp to the floor, once more unconscious. The memory of the boy he once was burned like an unquenchable flame that rose forever. Over the years he had eventually come to accept the struggle that defined him and the duality that sustained him. His inward battle to keep Anakin repressed served to reinforce the evil that he had become. It gave him more reason to focus.
This lightsaber is your life! Obi-Wan--the only mentor that he had ever really loved and was more of a father to him than any one he had ever called master. Over time he had eventually come to the realization that it wasn't his former master or the only woman that he had ever loved that had betrayed him. He had come to terms that it was he who had betrayed everyone. He had allowed himself to become manipulated and serve someone else's purposes. Except for the short years under Obi-Wan's tutelage, that is all he had ever known. He seemed to exist solely for someone else's profit. He was born a slave and he would die a slave.
Are you an angel? He had become a slave to everyone including his own passions. It was the final insult to injury conferred upon him by fate and it festered deeper and more bitterly than anything that ever had been inflicted upon him.
You're...a slave? Anger swelled within his breast and he felt a surge of strength. He awoke and burst the bands that confined him and in a fit of rage flung a hapless Jawa--who had cleaned his armor and removed all the sand from around his respiratory intake system, unclogging it and resuscitating him--out of the large door of the cargo hold and onto the morning desert sand.
“I am a person! My name is Anakin!” Vader bellowed, his voice echoing throughout the cargo hold. He stood up dazed and looked around, pausing for a moment. He gathered his senses and walked outside, pushing several droids out of his way.
A wide eyed old man and an awestruck boy stood before him. He cast his eyes around, and beyond some busy jawas and droids of various shapes and sizes stood a familiar site--the Lars homestead.
--
“Anakin?” The old man whispered, aghast at the towering black figure. He turned to face Luke with grave concern and in a muted tone addressed him. “Get inside. Right now!”
Luke saw more than the typical surly countenance in his uncle's expression. Beneath the usual irritable look that his uncle bore was something which Luke had never before seen. Though he masked it well, Luke immediately sensed sheer terror in his uncle's eyes. Confused and full of adrenaline, Luke turned to Vader and scanned him from his dusty helmet down to his scuffed black boots. Vader's chest rose with each mechanical breath. He had never seen anything like him. “Uncle Owen, who's Anakin?”
“Owen?” Vader uttered in a slow, baritone voice, still reeling from the wave of emotions that filled him. “Own Lars. . .” Vader's voice trailed off. He stepped away from the shadow of the Sandcrawler. Owen and Luke both stepped back, giving Vader a wide berth. Vader tried to regain his focus, to reclaim his power but in the wake of so many memories, the grief which had engulfed him during his unconscious dreams served only to confuse him. He looked around the homestead until he was able to focus. The only thing about this forgettable place that he remotely would have cared about was nowhere to be found. “Where is it?” Vader asked slowly, his voice now dripping with contempt.
“Where's what?” Owen replied gruffly, masking his fear.
Vader immediately turned to the edge of the homestead and marched briskly until he reached the place where a young Jedi once knelt. He looked down at the sand and glanced in every direction. There was nothing but more sand. He remembered a promise that he once made—a promise, which he knew he had failed to keep. Somewhere in the galaxy lay another, long buried, who he had failed to save. The only two people he had loved more than himself had died because of his failure to save them. “Where is it?” Vader bellowed as he approached Owen.
Owen began to tremble as the realization of what Vader had referred to struck him. Shmi's headstone! He shook his head and stepped back as Vader came closer. The perspiration beading on his brow was not from the blistering desert heat, but from sheer trepidation. “We buried it a long time ago!” Owen raised his hands in a submissive gesture.
“Why?” Vader asked sharply. He grabbed Owen by the throat and lifted him high in the air. “What did she ever do to you?”
Owen could barely speak as he choked under the fierce leather grip of his one time step brother. “We had to--”
“Stop!” a feminine voice screamed from the entrance of the Lars home. Beru ran out with outstretched arms, pleading for her husband's life. Luke had run down to inform her of their most unexpected guest. “Please don't hurt him!” She reached Vader and clung to his outstretched arm in an effort to lower her beloved husband to the ground. “Please!”
Vader regarded her for a moment. Tears streamed down her dusty cheeks. Her pleading eyes moved him only briefly, but it was enough. He lowered Owen to the ground and watched him gasp for air. He then turned to Beru. “Why did you bury her headstone?” he asked sharply.
Beru's eyes widened as Vader stepped toward her. “To protect--” She stopped mid-sentence, covering her mouth with her hand. She froze, not knowing what more to say or do.
“To protect who?” Vader asked.
Beru's slight glance in Luke's direction was enough to betray her nephew and she knew it as soon as Vader turned to look at him. Vader looked at Beru again and sensed her fear. He turned again to Luke and walked toward him, sensing his apprehension.
“What is your name?” Vader asked the young man.
Luke glanced at his fearful aunt and then at his uncle who was just barely catching his breath. He stood up straight, and as defiant as he could sound he replied. “I'm Luke S--”
“Noo!” Owen gasped, severely distressed. He ran between Vader and his nephew, shielding Luke from his unfamiliar father. “Leave my family alone!” This time he was unafraid. “I won't let you hurt them!”
“I'm not interested in your family,” Vader replied. “I only want to know what you're hiding.”
“Never!” replied Owen.
Through the Force, Vader lifted Beru off the ground. “You took what was mine. If you don't tell me what I want to know, I will take what is yours.”
“No!” Owen replied weakly, clutching the left shoulder of his tunic. He tried speaking out, but instead winced in pain as his heart began to fail. He fell to his knees and looked up at Vader in a submissive gesture. “Pleas--”
Vader lowered Beru to the ground and he watched the light in Owen's eyes dim. Beru rushed to her husband's side as he fell prostrate on the sand. Her eyes filled with tears and desperation as she watched her husband slowly slip away from her. Luke quickly knelt down beside him as Owen reached for Luke's arm. He looked up at them weakly, first at Beru and then at Luke.
“I'm...sorry,” he said inaudibly, barely managing to mouth the words. And in a moment he was gone.
--
“Noo!” cried Luke. He fell to his knees beside his aunt. Tears poured down his dusty cheeks as he leaned over his deceased uncle. “Uncle Owen!” Luke wept desperately. “Wake up, please wake up!” He sobbed openly, shaking his fallen uncle's body. “Please don't leave us!” Despite their differences in the past, there were quiet moments that reinforced Luke’s knowledge of his uncle's love and concern for him. Now he seemed to discern that the dark figure before them was the reason that his uncle had protected him all these years. He stood up and approached Vader defiantly, tears still streaming from his eyes. “Why?” He pleaded. “What do you want with us?”
Beru jumped up as quickly as her frail body could allow and she pulled Luke away. “Please...” she paused, uncertain of what to call him for fear of familiarity, uncertain if Luke had any inclination of his heritage. “Don't hurt us.”
Still reeling from his vivid dreams aboard the Sandcrawler and the strong feelings, which they produced, Vader stood dumbfounded at what had just happened. Wave after wave of emotions swelled within his breast. He simply stared at the lowly moisture farmers until the deep blue eyes of the boy before him had penetrated his blank stare.
“You haven't finished answering my question...” Vader paused with a pointed finger. “...Luke!”
Luke blinked. The sound of his name emanating mechanically from the person before him broke his gaze.
Luke turned to his aunt, who stood petrified, breathless, but above all, helpless. In that moment he knew he was no longer the boy that she had well raised. He was now a man and he stood straight, raising his head. “My name is Luke Skywalker!”
Vader staggered backwards, as if being hit by some invisible force. Luke's brow furled as well at the Dark Lord's reaction.
“S...Sky...” Vader stuttered, dumbstruck. He found it difficult to make sense of anything. For a brief moment he questioned if this wasn't another dream--another illusion produced by the desert heat. He questioned the notion of someone else having the same name. His mind raced through the myriad of dreams, illusions, and memories until his mind was able to grasp at one single moment of his checkered past.
Annie, I want to have our baby back home on Naboo. “Padme...” Vader whispered.
Beru gasped quietly. Luke turned to face her and shook his head, clearly confused. “I don't understand,” he said. “Who is Padme?” Luke's frustration about who he was had come full circle. He had just lost the only man who had ever been any kind of father to him. “Why was Uncle Owen always trying to protect me?” Finally he turned to Vader and wiped from his eyes and cheeks any lingering tears. “Why did you kill my uncle?”
Vader backed another few steps. For the first time in his life, he was at a complete loss for words. This cursed planet had managed to strip every layer of darkness, lie, and contempt for the galaxy that he had carried. All that remained were the memories of who he was, who he had loved and now who had stood before him. He was powerless in every sense of the word and he was alone--abandoned by his own doing. He struggled to make sense of it.
“Anakin!” came the cry of a familiar voice. They all turned around at the sudden call from several meters away.
Vader instinctively reached for his belt clip, which to his surprise was missing his lightsaber. Despite the long years apart that had aged them both, he easily recognized his old master. With a low baritone voice he bellowed clearly, “Obi-Wan!”
--
Obi-Wan approached tentatively, regarding his old Padawan, now half man, half machine. His sun-worn visage bore a grief stricken countenance as he glanced at Luke, Beru and then at the fallen Owen. He approached the body and knelt beside it, placing his hand over Owen's forehead in reverence. After a brief moment, he stood up, and slightly shook his lowered head. It was an all too familiar setting.
“Right where we left off, isn't it?” He said softly, piercing Vader's gaze.
“What are you doing here, old man?” Vader raised his guard, more perplexed than even before.
Obi-Wan brought one hand across his torso and his other hand up to his chin, contemplatively. He cast his eyes about the desert, beyond the horizon. He turned back to face Vader. “This is my home.”
For the first time Vader fell completely silent, his mechanical breaths carried away by the warm, gentle breeze. Had his lightsaber still been attached to his belt clip, he would have engaged his old master in mortal combat. The sting of defeat from their previous encounter, however, left him feeling cautious. He turned to find the Sandcrawler had long since departed, and apparently hastily, leaving behind a few scattered droids.
“Still losing your lightsaber?” Obi-Wan asked wryly.
Vader stood helpless at a loss for words and for a way out of his predicament. “This is your doing,” he replied with an accusing tone. Obi-Wan always had the upper hand and it stirred an ember in Vader's cold heart. He had found something to focus on and he used it.
“I don't think so,” Obi-Wan said, pressing his robes tightly against himself, preventing his lightsaber from flying into Vader's hand.
Within moments, Obi-Wan levitated, crossing his hands over his throat. Without a moment's pause Vader flew meters backwards onto the dusty ground in a black heap while Obi-Wan fell slumped over. Clearing his throat, Obi-Wan stood up ready. Vader struggled to turn over onto his knees, restricted by the limiting range of motion of his protective armor. The soft sand made it all the more difficult to balance himself. He finally found himself on his hands and knees, almost as he found himself on Mustafar when Obi-Wan last bested him and like the fire from the molten lava that consumed his flesh, so too did the sand seem to consume him. Vader knew he could ill afford another malfunction from it getting into his vital systems. The Dark Lord of the Sith was out of his element and he knew it.
“Must we do this again?” Obi-Wan asked earnestly.
“You betrayed me,” Vader replied.
“I loved you like a brother!” Obi-Wan glanced at Luke and Beru, who stood wide-eyed and motionless. Vader had submitted, if only temporarily and with so much at stake, Obi-Wan hoped to turn this dialogue into a positive one. “I've had many years to think about this,” he said in a non-threatening tone. “I know why you did what you did.”
After struggling to stabilize himself, Vader finally stood up straight, trying to shake as much sand off as possible. “Do not pretend to know me,” he replied bitterly.
“You did the same thing that the Jedi, the Sith, and all the Senators were trying to do,” Obi-Wan said softly, tilting his head, “only you were caught right in the middle.”
Vader struggled to breathe. The sand seemed to once more compromise his respiratory system, but he refused to appear weak. “And what do you think that is?”
Obi-Wan's brow rose as he looked intently at Vader's eyes. “To save those closest to us.”
--
Vader staggered. Those words pierced him to the core. Nothing stung worse to the guilty than the truth staring them back in the face. His heart beat faster as adrenaline coursed through his veins. The horizon once more became blurred and the dunes around him began to dance. Twin suns spun in the sky like two starfighters engaged in the heat of battle. His breathing became difficult. Before he could react, the ground rushed up to meet him as darkness overcame him.
Padme... He felt himself floating through what seemed the blackness of space. He felt serene for the first time in as long as he could remember. A familiar voice returned.
Annie, I want to have our baby back home on Naboo. We could go to the lake country where no one would know . . . where we would be safe. I could go early and fix up the baby's room. I know the perfect spot right by the gardens. Vader reached out to his bride but found nothing but emptiness. Anguish began to mount.
What's bothering you? It was a dream...it was about you. Tell me. Vader cringed. It was here inside where he locked away the pain--a vault where his past remained hidden beneath layers of repressed memories.
You die in childbirth. And the baby? I don't know. “Padme!” He opened his teary eyes to find himself staring upward at a ceiling. Confused at what he saw, or didn't see, he blinked repeatedly. The small heads up display and holographic function readouts were missing from his field of view.
'Help me Obi-Wan Kenobi. You're my only hope!'
Vader's sight was limited to his peripheral vision. “Princess Leia?”
“You must lie still, Anakin.” Obi-Wan replied gently.
“Where am I? What have you...” Vader's voice trailed off as he again lost consciousness.
“Ben, is he dying?” Luke asked quietly.
“No, Luke. He isn't dying” Obi-Wan replied. “But he can't survive very long without his mask.”
“What happened to him and why did he kill Uncle Owen? And who is the woman in that recording?”
Obi-Wan's eyes widened as he inhaled deeply. Too much was happening too quickly and it overwhelmed him. The Imperial threat was obviously mounting and no doubt the droids now in his company were the reason that Vader was here. “Luke, I know you have many questions, but you must trust me,” Obi-Wan said in a hushed tone. “This is not the time.”
“But-”
“How is his mask?” Obi-Wan interrupted.
Luke frowned. “I got most of the sand out, but the filtering system isn't working right. I don't think I can fix it. Not with anything I have around here.”
“Obi-Wan” a low voice spoke out.
Both Obi-Wan and Luke turned around. Vader struggled to sit up from a bed but barely managed to do so. His was not the appearance of a demon--twisted and evil, but of a broken down man--an emotional wreck and certainly not the same Dark Lord that had just taken the life of Owen Lars. Vader glanced purposefully at Luke for a length of time before he noticed his mask in the boy's hands.
“It was damaged,” Luke blurted out, wide-eyed, trying to hide his fear. “Your respiratory intake system was clogged but I couldn't do anything with the filtering system. There's nothing around here that I can use to repair or replace it.” He held the mask out with stretched arms.
Vader took his mask and then looked up at Luke and then at Obi-Wan, still reeling from emotional turmoil. “I cannot survive without it and I should not be breathing this air.” Vader replied. “This helps me to...it makes me breathe.” For a moment Vader's guard went up. “Princess Leia...” Vader whispered.
“Who's Princess Leia?” Luke asked.
“For a moment I thought...” Vader's voice trailed off. It was impossible for her to be here. She died along with everyone else. Anger began to swell inside, making his breathing difficult. “I must leave!”
“You mustn't allow yourself to become excited,” Obi-Wan interjected. “You must remain calm and focus on your breathing.”
Vader thought for a moment. The young princess couldn't have survived. “She's dead.” He concluded that she was part of his dreams and hallucinations. “They're all dead.” Vader looked down at his mask and slowly shook his head. He hated putting it back on after meditating without it in his personal chambers. He looked up at Obi-Wan accusingly.
Obi-Wan's eyes fell to the floor. After a moment he glanced back at Vader. “Are you sure?”
“I captured her vessel and tractored it aboard my Star Destroyer. She must have set her ship to self-destruct. Nobody could have survived,” Vader said reflecting on the recent past. “I barely managed to escape. Only one escape pod managed to...” Vader stopped. “Where did you get those droids?” Vader asked turning to Luke.
Luke’s eyes widened. “Uh, the Jawas left them behind,” was all he could muster. Vader regarded them with familiarity. The small droid slowly backed up against the far wall.
“Who are you?” Vader asked the protocol droid.
The golden cyborg stood erect and with a small nod replied, “I am C-3PO, human-cyborg relations.”
Vader sat up straight and tilted his head. “Threepio...” he whispered softly. “I remember you...”
“I don't believe we've ever met,” the droid replied tentatively.
Vader blinked. This was more surreal than his dreams. But his dreams left him helpless and wanting what he could never have and it tormented him. What he felt here was real, and for the first time he felt human again. Still, he made sure to guard his feelings. “Memory wipe,” Vader said softly.
“Memory wipe?” C-3PO exclaimed. “Well--”
“I'm sure I can fix that,” Vader interrupted. Reminiscing, he looked at Luke and at Obi-Wan before realizing that a faint smile had formed on his lips. It was only a moment before he realized that without his mask there was no hiding his emotions. He shook his head and sighed, looking away. “I have caused so much pain,” he said softly. He looked at his mask once more and paused for a moment. He turned to Obi-Wan. “Will you help me put this on?”
Obi-Wan nodded and obliged. He stood up and helped Vader mount his mask onto his collar. He picked up the helmet from the side of the bed and placed it on top of the mask. The cycling air from the life support system created a vacuum as the helmet sealed onto the mask with a suctioning sound. The mechanical breathing resumed and functioned, but strained. It was barely enough to sustain him.
“There,” Obi-Wan said softly and stepped back.
Vader stood up and stared at the old man. Within moments he held up his hand with Obi-Wan's lightsaber in it. Obi-Wan's eyes widened and he froze. He fixed his gaze upon the Dark Lord, hoping to keep his attention away from Luke. Vader glanced down at the weapon and ignited it. He considered the different possible outcomes of this situation and pondered them for a moment.
--
Except for the dreadful sound of Vader's mechanical breaths and the electrical hum of the lightsaber echoing in the small bedroom there was dead silence. Vader looked around the dimly lit room. On one shelf by the bed was a small model of a T-16 Skyhopper. Beside it lay a small assortment of tools, some of which he recognized as those used for working on moisture vaporators. He turned to the young man who stood awestruck not more than a few meters away, his eyes focused on the bright blue blade of the lightsaber which he had so quietly removed from Obi-Wan's belt.
By now Vader had determined that Ob-Wan had been there in Padme's final hours, as he so vividly dreamed about her in another lifetime. And standing before him, the answer to the question that Padme had asked him so long ago. The child that she had carried--his child, had grown into a man. He could sense the Force in him. No doubt the Emperor would have as well and by now replaced him with his own flesh and blood. It was the way of the Sith. Luke turned to face him. He could sense fear in the young farmer. He also sensed anguish and hatred towards him. Vader thought about the gruff old man that had fallen before him and what he must have meant to Luke. Vader wondered just how strong in the Force Luke would grow. He wondered if Luke was ready to fulfill his destiny.
He turned to face Obi-Wan. “Why did you save me?”
Obi-Wan inhaled deeply as he raised his hands in front of him in a submissive gesture. “Because of what Padme said before she died,” he said softly.
Vader raised Obi-Wan's lightsaber to his throat. “Be careful what you say old man.”
Obi-Wan swallowed as he considered his choice of words. Then he spoke carefully. “She died in childbirth,” he replied raising his brow. “Before she died she said something, which has echoed in my mind all these years. Something which I have hoped is true.”
Vader remained silent. His chest rose slightly with each breath as he waited for Obi-Wan to finish.
“Her dying words were, 'There is still good in him. I know there is.'”
The lightsaber lowered in Vader's hands as if the gravity of those words had weighed heavily upon him. He remembered constricting her throat through the Force in anger, but he knew that he had left her alive. She was so delicate, so beautiful. He had allowed himself to be deceived by Palpatine to murder innocent children and it was that same passion that swept him away blindly to willfully attack his own beloved wife.
The fear of loss is the path to the Dark Side. Attachment leads to jealousy. The shadow of greed that is. Indeed it was the fear of losing Padme that had snared him. And it was that attachment that Palpatine had so skillfully exploited.
Only through me can you achieve a power greater than any Jedi. Learn to know the Dark Side of the Force, Anakin, and you will be able to save your wife from certain death. You're a Sith Lord! Are you going to kill me? I would certainly like to. I know you would. I can feel your anger. It gives you focus, makes you stronger. The only certain truth that he had learned from his master was the strength that the Dark Side indeed gave him. He was able to harness that power, but for what? To spread destruction? He had allowed himself to become Palpatine's pawn.
Vader deactivated the lightsaber and stood motionless for a few moments. He slowly stepped back and exited the room and went outside. The cooling system in his suit increased power to stabilize its internal temperature. His breathing remained even as he looked around the homestead. Parked to his right was an old landspeeder. About twenty meters away, Beru sat on the desert floor sobbing, wrapping Owen's body in preparation for his burial. He walked towards her and noticed that she had uncovered two headstones from the sand and had erected them, one next to the other. On one was inscribed the name, “Cliegg Lars”. On the other was more skillfully and painstakingly inscribed, “Shmi Skywalker Lars”.
Obi-Wan and Luke stepped outside and approached Vader and a frightened Beru. Luke impetuously walked closer and looked at the headstones and their inscriptions.
Vader lowered his head. He remembered well the night he found his mother, only too late.
“I failed,” Vader spoke softly, his mechanical voice barely audible.
He turned to Luke, who was shaking his head in confusion. It was at that moment that the galaxy changed. Suddenly he wanted to tell Luke that he was his father and that the woman buried before him was his grandmother, whom he would have adored. Beru who had just finished wrapping her husband, caught his attention. Her face was smeared with dirt and sand from wiping so many tears. This place had stripped every layer of anger and calloused regard for life from him. He regretted that the only father that Luke had ever known had fallen victim to his rage...just as Padme once had.
I promise I won't fail again. “It was not my intention to kill your uncle,” Vader said, facing Luke. “No doubt you have many questions. I trust you are in good company to learn the truth.”
Vader turned to Obi-Wan. “You have much to discuss with him.” He quickly turned around and walked towards the speeder.
“Anakin, where are you going?” Obi-Wan asked worrying.
“That name...” Vader paused, turning to Obi-Wan, “...that name...” his voice trailed off. It hadn't meant anything to him in a long time. “I must return to my master.”
“You don't have to go,” Obi-Wan beckoned. “Stay here with us.”
“This is not my home,” Vader replied. “Do what you must, Obi-Wan. You saved my life. I will spare yours.”
Vader climbed aboard the landspeeder and sped away leaving a dust cloud in its wake. Luke and Obi-Wan watched as he disappeared into the horizon.
Obi-Wan sighed heavily as if the weight of galaxy now rested on his shoulders. “Come, let's take care of your uncle.” They turned around. He reached into his sleeve and pulled out a lightsaber.
Luke gazed at it with curiosity.
Obi-Wan clipped it to his belt. “This once belonged to the greatest Jedi Knight in the galaxy.”
--
Vader commandeered a small freighter on Tatooine from a hapless traveler just outside Anchorhead who had just arrived from a trade route through deep space. The man's only objection to his sudden plight came in the form of brief suffocation. From there he made his way to the nearest Imperial outpost and rendezvoused with the Accuser, an Imperial Class-I Star Destroyer, which was fitted with quarters that he had specifically designed for personal maintenance and meditation. More than a dozen key Imperial Star Destroyers and Super Star Destroyers were fitted with these identical quarters.
Avoiding pleasantries with the ship's captain and his welcoming entourage--a few subordinate officers and a garrison of Stormtroopers, Vader dismissed them with a simple wave of his hand and marched directly to his quarters. Two sentries in the form of elite Stormtroopers flanked either side of the entrance to his quarters.
“Under no circumstances am I to be disturbed!” Vader's voice intently bellowed through his vocoder. Chilled to their cores by the menacing electronic tone, they immediately stiffened at attention when he approached and entered through the double doors. Without pause he marched through his quarters to an inner bedchamber.
A tall gray door closed behind him as the dark and sterile room dimly illuminated. He walked to his berth--a tall bunk, which served as his bed as well as a diagnostic machine designed to keep his life support system at optimal levels. He sat down as a multi-jointed mechanical arm with specialized grips descended from the ceiling. With its rubber tips it gently removed the protective helmet and placed it in a small glowing niche on the wall. The swiveling arm returned to remove Vader's mask from its hermetic collar and placed it in a separate niche by the helmet. Once more it returned to remove the collar from Vader's neck to place it in another small niche by the mask and helmet. He stood up as small subservient droids quietly emerged from their dark alcoves to tend to him. They moved through the dimness to remove parts of Vader's suit for repairs and maintenance. His cape was first removed followed by his shoulder armor. A small droid removed the systems status belt from his waist while another unhooked his inner cape. Next his control function panel was unfastened from his midsection while his shin armor was unclipped from his boots. He stood motionless, staring ahead at the wall while he removed one glove at a time, exposing sensitive mechanical metacarpals with gold electrostatic fingertips, with which he used to relieve an itch where his right bicep connected with its cybernetic implanted arm. The small droids quietly moved back into the darkness and deactivated. The diagnostic computer above the bed activated and the small droids began quietly with repairs to the damaged life support systems that had repeatedly weakened him on Tatooine.
Vader gazed through the long horizontal window with his naked eyes through space as stars sped past in streaks of light as he thought about his son.
My name is Luke Skywalker! Vader saw himself as that once defiant youth when Luke had revealed his identity earlier today. He had never before considered that his child had survived Padme's tragedy. Now more than ever did he consider his failure in saving her. She had tried taking him away--far away from the web of lies that had veiled his senses. He had allowed himself to become what was most reprehensible when he knelt before Palpatine. He could still feel what seemed like jagged shards of glass against his knees. Better judgement had screamed in his face as he lowered himself before the Sith Lord and pledged himself to do his bidding.
Just help me save Padme's life. I can't live without her. I won't let her die. I want the power to stop death. He spoke her name softly as if somehow through space and time she could hear him. There was no reply but the faint whirring of small mechanical arms busily at work on the various components of his protective suit behind him. He closed his eyes and searched through distant memories for her face. He had found himself calm, almost meditative. Suddenly his eyes opened as he beheld a vision more real than any dream.
I know there is good in you. The Emperor hasn't driven it from you fully. That is why you couldn't destroy me. That is why you won't bring me to your Emperor now. Luke was older and dressed in black. Vader's eyes widened as the vision continued to unfold.
Search your feelings, father. You can't do this. I feel the conflict within you. Let go of your hate. It is too late for me son. The Emperor will show you the true nature of the Force. He is your master now. Vader hardly breathed as he realized what he was seeing was the future. His neck tingled with goose bumps and he shook his head.
Then my father is truly dead. The vision clouded. Emotions swelled within his breast as the Force continued to reveal what could be. Once more the vision unfolded and Vader beheld a dark and eerie place. Immediately he recognized it as one of Palpatine's throne rooms.
I'm looking forward to completing your training. In time you will call me master. You're gravely mistaken. You won't convert me as you did my father. Oh, no, my young Jedi. You will find that it is you who are mistaken about a great many things. Vader watched as Luke slowly found himself being pulled toward the Dark Side. He could see anger building inside him.
The hate is swelling in you now. Take your Jedi weapon. Use it. I am unarmed. Strike me down with it. Give in to your anger. With each passing moment you make yourself more my servant. The vision continued as he engaged in a duel with his son. To his surprise, Luke's superior strength was evident as he became overwhelmed by blow after blow of clashing lightsabers. Sparks flew as he watched Luke swinging furiously, effortlessly defeating him in a passionate frenzy until Vader finally fell before him. He tried to block another furious onslaught until his mechanical hand was sliced away, his lightsaber falling over a dark shaft. Laughter filled the air as Palpatine approached.
Good! Your hate has made you powerful. Now fulfill your destiny and take your father's place at my side! Vader watched as Luke refused to join him. He had never dared contradict the Emperor, yet his son stood defiantly before him without pause.
Never! I'll never turn to the Dark Side. You've failed your Highness. I am a Jedi like my father before me. Vader observed Palpatine's perplexed expression. After all these years he had become accustomed to unquestioned obedience and loyalty.
So be it...Jedi. If you will not be turned you will be destroyed. Palpatine unleashed bolts of lightning. At first Luke tried to deflect them through the Force but within moments was overwhelmed as he fell to the floor cringing. He watched as Luke writhed and screamed in pain. “No,” he shook his head as he watched helplessly. He watched himself stand up and like a pitiful broken animal--a mere pet return to its master to stand by his side.
Father, please help me! Luke reached weakly toward Vader, pleading. Bolts of lightning enveloped him, streaking over and around him with furious speed and intensity.
Now young Skywalker...you will die. The outpouring of the blue lightning increased as snapping electric sounds echoed throughout the room. Luke continued to cry out in anguish while Palpatine reveled in the pain he inflicted.
The vision ended as suddenly as it began leaving Vader shuddering in a cold sweat. He braced himself against his bed as he blinked repeatedly. “No,” Vader said softly, trying to control his emotions. He had failed to save his mother. He had failed to save Padme. Now it was happening again. He looked around to see the small droids were no longer working. They had finished their maintenance and repairs on the various components of his suit. He turned to look out the window once more. He knew that he would soon be arriving on Coruscant to report to the Emperor.
He grabbed a sterile towelette from a small stack on his bed and began cleaning himself. He stared blankly ahead as he ceremoniously wiped his body--what was still whole--clean. When he finished he sat down on his bed and as if on cue the small droids began dressing him. When his utility belt had been replaced he stared at Obi-Wan's lightsaber.
I loved you like a brother! Vader had long convinced himself that Obi-Wan had betrayed him--that Padme and everyone he had loved had betrayed him. But today on Tatooine was it painfully clear that it was he who had betrayed everyone else only to serve the one person who had masterminded his downfall. Perhaps he had known this all along and it was his utter self-loathing for that reason that gave him his unmatched strength.
The last remaining accoutrement--his helmet--was placed on his hermetic collar with a vacuumed seal. His mechanical breathing resumed normally. All systems performed at optimal levels. He ignited Obi-Wan's lightsaber and reconsidered his destiny. The blue blade glowed brilliantly in his bedchamber. It was nothing like his crimson blade, which he curiously noticed in his vision. He stared at the luminescent beam for another moment before deactivating it.
He could feel the Star Destroyer slow to orbiting speed. He had arrived at Coruscant. Below, no doubt, his master awaited for news of the stolen transmissions from the Rebel Blockade. He clipped the lightsaber to his belt and exited his chamber. The double doors opened as the two Stormtroopers straightened at attention. He walked past them towards the main hangar where his personal shuttle stood ready to transport him to the planet's surface. Officers and deck crew members avoided his gaze as they busily tended to their duties.
Fools! Vader thought and for a brief moment regarded himself no differently.
He boarded his shuttle and watched as the Star Destroyer became smaller while the city planet below grew larger, the spherical orb of countless twinkling lights rising into a massive horizon of metropolitan architecture. Below, surrounded by endless indiscernible structures stood the massive Imperial Palace, the tallest building on Coruscant and residence of Emperor Palpatine himself. The central Grand Reception Hall consisted of unusually high ceilings and walls featuring multiple sets of four narrow parallel windows crowned by circular reinforced windows similar to those in Palpatine's throne rooms. This grand hall was spacious enough to easily accommodate a Victory Class Star Destroyer.
Vader considered his master and all his grandeur. Palpatine's unopposed galactic reign, which Vader had personally enforced, had made possible all the glory, which Palpatine had given himself. The longer Vader watched the palace grow larger through the viewport of his shuttle, the more resentful he became.
The shuttle entered the palace and docked on a small platform at the far interior end of the Grand Reception Hall. Vader exited and walked towards the center turbolift, which led directly up to the top of the tallest spire at the center of the palace where Palpatine's throne room sat. He paused, sensing his master's impatience. Though Vader was adept enough to shield his thoughts from Palpatine, there was no hiding his emotions.
He entered the lift and speedily rose to the top. Vader was unsure of what to expect but welcomed inevitability. He reached the top and the door slid open to the throne room. Vader felt as though he had just been here. He looked in the direction of the shaft, similar to the one in his vision where he had fallen defeated before his son. Two Crimson Guards flanked the entrance, and they stood unflinching unlike the guards, which he had just left standing outside his own quarters. He sensed their stoical temperament, no doubt unafraid of him and ready to die to protect the Emperor. He walked forward towards the upper platform and ascended the steps leading to his master's throne, which faced away from him, towards the large circular window.
“Welcome back my old friend,” Palpatine uttered as his throne swiveled to face Vader.
“Thank you, my master.” Vader knelt in reply.
“What news do you bring of the stolen Death Star plans?” Palpatine asked wryly, already aware of the Devastator's demise as he focused on the foreign weapon that hung from Vader's belt.
“The Rebel ship was destroyed along with everyone aboard including the plans. They self-destructed taking the Imperial Cruiser with them.” Vader rose to his feet. “I barely managed to escape.”
“And what has become of your lightsaber?”
Vader paused, but only briefly. “I lost it, my master.”
“I see,” Palpatine said with just a drip of disdain. “And who's lightsaber are you carrying?”
This time Vader stood silent much longer.
“I'm waiting,” Palpatine sneered.
Help me Obi-Wan Kenobi. You're my only hope! Vader suddenly realized that the droids in Luke's room had also escaped in the other shuttle. They were carrying the stolen plans! Vader now faced a pivotal decision.
“Obi-Wan,” Vader said softly. His tongue had slipped, but whether or not he meant to betray the old Jedi made no difference now.
Palpatine stood from his throne. “What is the meaning of this, Lord Vader?”
“The Rebel ship was headed to find Obi-Wan.” Vader replied.
“So, Master Kenobi still lives after all these years. And you let him live?”
“I was injured, but I did manage to disarm him.”
“You seem whole to me,” Palpatine replied skeptically.
Tension seemed to steadily mount between apprentice and master. Vader was careful not to betray Luke's existence. “You told me that I killed Padme,” Vader said, changing the subject. He had not questioned his master in more years than he could remember, but now he stood ready to defy him.
Palpatine's jaw tightened. He sensed Vader's resolve. His apprentice had discovered something, which he was keeping secret. Palpatine knew that Vader had long since been more powerful, but cleverly commanded Vader's loyalty and reverence through flattery, imparting just enough knowledge of Sith doctrine when Vader craved it and by granting him power to rain terror throughout the galaxy. Palpatine chose his words carefully.
“I would not readily trust the words of a Jedi,” he replied in a non-threatening tone, offering Vader the next move.
Vader had always known that he had left her alive and undamaged, though he knew he had forever pushed her away. Obi-Wan was many things, but dishonorable was not one. And Luke was all the proof he needed. If his life had any shred of purpose left, it was his son. For the first time the Emperor seemed nothing more than a decrepit old man who had outlived his usefulness and he did nothing to hide his feelings.
In one swift motion Vader spun around, igniting his blue lightsaber and sliced through two Force Pikes being raised to his back as two red guards flew to the ceiling. He whirled around to deflect a large bolt of blue electricity, which emanated from his master's gnarled fingertips.
“Your powers are weak, old man!” Vader held his lightsaber erect. He was not distracted by the crumpling sound of the Emperor's elite guards crashing to the floor behind him.
“Fool!” Palpatine snarled. “I gave you life! I gave you unlimited power!”
“I do not have to wait until you sleep to destroy you,” Vader bellowed. “When I pledged myself to your teachings I was but a learner.” Adrenaline coursed through his veins as he mustered years of repressed anger. Rage began to swell within him. “Now I am the master!”
The time for words had passed. Palpatine unleashed the full power of the Dark Side of the Force as a brilliant fulmination of lightning struck from both hands. Vader's lightsaber deflected the massive bolt away. He slowly stepped forward as if declaring the end of his master's existence. Palpatine released another fearsome barrage but Vader's lightsaber simply whipped the streaks of energy back towards Palpatine, causing him to falter. Vader kept his lightsaber trained between Palpatine and himself. He remembered well Master Windu's demise and he knew better than to repeat the same fateful mistake.
Palpatine and Vader instantly became locked in a Force push and within moments Vader caught himself as he stumbled back several steps while Palpatine flew backwards onto his throne.
“Guards!” Palpatine cried through the intercom of his handrest as Vader leapt towards him with a raised lightsaber. Palpatine hissed and stood upright deflecting Vader's lightsaber with his own. Vader paused for a moment. He had never seen his master use a lightsaber and it never occurred to him that Palpatine had one tucked inside his sleeve, let alone needed one. Blue clashed against red as sparks of energy flew into the dimness of the spacious room.
Palpatine's Crimson Guards emerged from the turbolift as each one flew through the air, some crashing against bulkheads and others crashing to the floor. Vader advanced, chopping repeatedly as Palpatine skillfully blocked every arcing blow as he spun and twirled through the air. Vader had seen such acrobatics dueling against the Jedi that he hunted down during the Purge. Their feeble skills had proven less than a match for his direct approach with a lightsaber.
“It is pointless to resist, my master!” Vader said plainly as Royal Guards poured through the turbolift doors. Vader dispatched them effortlessly as he pressed Palpatine into a corner continually slicing and slashing at him until finally his master's lightsaber had been knocked away. Without hesitating, Palpatine once more hurled lightning at his traitorous apprentice only this time to absorb the deflected bolts at close quarters. Vader stood firm as bolt after bolt of crackling electricity flew back from his lightsaber. This time there would be nobody to appeal to. Vader stood over Palpatine, watching his screaming master weaken as he recalled Luke doing in his vision from the same Force lightning.
Palpatine ceased his onslaught as the epiphany emerged. He exclaimed, wide-eyed, “Son!” Recalling the Rule of Two as set forth by an ancient Sith Lord--
Only two Sith Lords, a master and an apprentice...One to embody the power and one to crave it. “You have a son!”
“You will not live to see him!” Vader replied as he struck the fatal blow. Palpatine slumped into a still heap, his face petrified with the final realization of his end.
Vader turned around to behold the throne room floor strewn with fallen Royal Guards. Only the few remaining that had witnessed the execution of their sovereign imperator stood poised.
He pointed his lightsaber at them. “You will answer to me or you will be destroyed.”
They paused a moment to consider the alternative. Without hesitation they returned to the turbolift and resumed their stations. Vader turned around to his fallen master.
He is the chosen one. You must see it. Vader walked towards the throne and stared at it for a moment. He had lived all his life bound in servitude, always accountable to someone or something greater than himself. Now, for the first time in his life he felt the peculiar feeling of freedom. He sat down and slowly spun around to face the window and sat there, basking in the sensation. He gazed at the afternoon sky as distant speeders and shuttles busily moved in all directions along multiple tight horizontal mid-air lanes.
Clouded this boy's future is... He thought about the many decisions he now faced. He gazed at the horizon and contemplated the possibilities.
The End Epilogue Biggs Darklighter stood on the ridge of a mesa just outside the Tosche Station at Anchorhead. He hadn't eaten breakfast yet and was especially craving Garqi caf. He licked his lips as he scanned the morning desert horizon through his electrobinoculars at the vast wreckage.
I guess Luke was right. The endless dunes were sprinkled with chunks of wreckage and debris of all shapes and sizes, some still burning after two days, leaving clouds of black smoke lingering high in the air. Luke had insisted that a battle was going on in orbit. Whatever happened up there didn't seem to leave any survivors. He had planned to leave Tatooine the day before but decided to remain hidden until he felt sure he was out of any Imperial danger. The Empire did not deal kindly with defectors. Still, his curiosity had gotten the best of him and he knew that he couldn't remain hidden forever. A rebellion was rising and he wanted to be a part of it.
He continued scanning the desert, catching a glimpse of Jawas and other desert dwellers, no doubt scavenging for anything usable. Then something tiny, an almost imperceptible speck, gleamed on the distant horizon. He magnified his electrobinoculars five hundred times for a closer look. His eyes widened as a small pod came into view. Still too distant to discern clearly, it seemed intact. He adjusted the focus and immediately saw a body just outside the pod, face down. His heart pounded as chills ran down his spine, adrenaline racing through his veins. He wasn't naïve enough to rule out an Imperial trap but considered the obvious possibility--a survivor. He noted the surrounding natural landmarks to triangulate the pod's position and walked back to his speeder, shaking his head. He knew he was risking his life to make sure, but he couldn't ignore someone in distress. He wished Luke was with him now.
I'm sorry I doubted you, Luke. As he sped along a rocky bank, he wondered if the person was alive and if he was Imperial. He opened a small compartment and pulled out his sidearm, compliments of the Imperial Academy. He glanced ahead for any potential ambushes. At this point, the desert people posed as much of a threat as any Imperial presence. He kept a sharp eye out for any trouble. He pulled around a nearby rocky bluff to survey and secure the area. He climbed atop the bluff and scanned the area with his electrobinoculars. There was no sign of life other than the person lying prostrate in the sand. He climbed back down to his speeder and headed towards the crashed pod, no doubt an emergency personal escape craft from the battle that Luke had described. He approached the site and quickly scanned the area to make sure the area was clear. He shut down the speeder and with his blaster in hand he quickly jogged to the body and bent over, wide-eyed. He turned the person over to find a young woman unconscious and filthy from smoke, ash, and dirt. He checked her vitals. Her breaths were short and she had a weak pulse but she was alive.
He ran back to his speeder and grabbed a canteen of water and brought it to her. She groaned weakly as he tried to rouse her.
“Young lady,” he nudged gently but urgently. “Wake up!”
She opened her eyes and tried to focus. She gasped faintly as she looked up at Biggs and stiffened with surprise. She was barely coherent but knew an Imperial issue blaster when she saw one.
He holstered his weapon. “It's all right, you’re safe.” He held out his canteen in a friendly gesture.
She was too weak to respond intelligently so he held her head up gently as he pressed the canteen to her mouth. Cool water flowed down her parched, cracked lips. She sipped a little bit, bringing her arm up to raise the canteen.
“Easy there,” he said. “You don't want to drink too much.”
She sipped a little more before looking up at him. She tried to focus. “Where am I?”
“You're on Tatooine.”
Her eyes widened as the reality of her predicament hit her.
He sensed her alarm. “Where are my manners? My name is Biggs Darklighter.”
Still suspicious, she glanced at his holster. “Aren't you a little underdressed for an Imperial?”
“What makes you think I'm with the Empire?”
“Your weapon,” she said weakly. “You either killed one or you are one.”
“You're a keen observer for being barely alive,” Biggs replied. He didn't consider her a threat and surely she was not with the Empire either. “You were running from the Empire, weren't you?”
She nodded. “I'm a member of the Imperial Senate. We were on a diplomatic mission to Alderaan.”
Biggs eyes widened. “You're...” he stuttered, shaking one finger. “You're...”
“My name is Leia Organa,” she replied softly taking a few more sips of water. “I have to get to Alderaan.”
“Yes, I recognize you now. Princess Leia!” Biggs said anxiously. Her face was smudged and her hair was disheveled. “You're with the Rebel Alliance!”
“How do you know that?” Leia asked with surprise.
Biggs looked around to make sure the area was still secure. “I was in the Imperial Academy, but it didn't take long to realize I joined the wrong side. I was defecting to join your rebellion against the Empire.”
Leia sat up and looked around. “The explosion...” she paused, still hazy. “Everyone's dead.”
“Come on, we need to get you out of here.” He helped her up and walked her to his speeder.
“I have to get to Alderaan,” she said as she stumbled.
He picked her up and set her on the passenger seat. He ran around to the driver's side and hopped in. He engaged the engines and marveled at what had transpired today.
“I've never been there before,” he said as they took off at maximum speed. “I hope they serve Garqi caf!”
---
