Power Lust
Part 9: Darth Vader
By SJ and Tatiana 09-05-00/13-04-01
Suggested and co-written with Tatiana (aa354105@econophone.ch)

_____________________________
Disclaimers: None of those characters belong to me. See my
front page for more details. (http://www.geocities.com/Area51/Quasar/3702)

Note about the story's copyrights: All the rights related to the basic idea of
Mon Mothma's scheme and the ensuing alliance between Luke and Vader belong to
Tatiana, and so do Vader's personality and the Sathed history. The rest of the
story is a fusing of our imaginations since we've passed the story back and
forth between ourselves :)

Also, special thanks to my shy, secret beta-reader and best friend, Adrianne,
for her help with the final editing of my new stories. I appreciate :)
_________________________________

Later that evening, after an excellent dinner had been served in Luke and his
friends' suite, Luke paid a visit to the medcenter, then decided to explore the
castle and find his father.

Trying to justify his actions to himself, he admitted that, first and foremost,
he wanted to know the decisions of the medical meeting and second, well, he
shrugged, he wanted to see the library that he'd talked about. Hence, there
wasn't any harm of any kind in regards to either of his reasons.

As he walked down the long, deserted corridors, he reflected that the castle was
really huge, and rather strange. The architecture itself was normal, although
he hadn't expected to find five inner gardens, which were linked by a small
river and waterfall, in what looked like the Dark Lord's dungeons, but there was
something definitely strange about the castle itself.

Then, he understood what was puzzling him. To him, the place looked more like a
museum than a house where someone, even a Dark Lord of the Sith, lived. The
cold weapon collection, the painting collection, the three-dimension art;
everything was in as good order as if they were in a real museum.

To his continued surprise, even the living suites were giving off the impression
that they were part of a museum, partly because of their opulence, but also
partly because of the empty feeling that they had.

Nobody lived in them for long, he slowly understood.

His father's personal part of the castle was a completely different matter
though.

There, gone was the opulence of the "museum" part. Everything was meant for the
sole purpose of cold functionality.

The only decorations were the paintings on the walls--- Sathed writing, he
belatedly recognized. With a larger sample than what he had seen in his
father's office, he was beginning to identify it as some form of calligraphy,
but from some unknown planet and some unknown alphabet.

As he walked onward, he passed training rooms, working rooms, a wide conference
hall. They were all empty, not only of people... but of 'life' as well.

Luke finally found his father in one of the small conference rooms. The meeting
with the medics was over; the table was covered with datacards. Vader was
sitting by the window, seemingly reading one of them.

"Come in, Son," he invited him in his coolly-modulated voice.

"How did it go?" he asked as he sat by his father right side. Vader didn't move
to acknowledge his presence in any way, obviously absorbed in his reading.

"Rather well. We begin the treatment tomorrow at 7 a.m. I'll need your
assistance."

"You'll have it," he assured him once again.

A pause.

"What are you reading?"

"The plan for the operation. I'll assist the medics; you'll help me with Leia's
rejection. But," the Dark Lord raised his head from his reading and looked at
him, "you must not interfere with the healing itself. Even in the case of an
emergency."

"I won't." Luke reassured him. "I know that I'm not trained enough."

"It's not a matter of being trained in the Force," his father countered. "You
simply don't have any medical education."

Luke raised an eyebrow in shock even as his jaw fell on the table, thanks to his
bafflement. "You mean that you do?" he gaped in confusion.

"Yes. Why are you so surprised?" Vader observed, commenting on the obvious.

"Well..." Luke fumbled, trying hard to recover his composure, "Not so long ago,
the only thing that I knew about you was that you were a warrior and Dark Lord
of the Sith. That kind of implies killing men,... not...," he hesitated
slightly as he bravely met his father's unwavering gaze. "Well, not healing
them."

His father shook his head upon hearing his answer. "Luke," he began rationally,
"I spent a quarter of my life in hospitals of all kind. I can't survive without
a constant medical attention and a life support system. Given these
circumstances, it would be strange to 'not' have medical knowledge, don't you
think?"

"... I see." He flushed. "I'm really stupid sometimes."

"No. Slow perhaps, but never stupid."

The young man gazed at his father; he could swear that he was smiling in
amusement under that mask of his. And to think that he was complaining about
Han's 'mask'... "Thanks. I guess," he returned with a wry smirk. "But speaking
of the training..."

"You want to see my library."

"Yes, I'd like that very much."

"Very well." Vader laid the document on the table and stood up. "Come."

The dark lord led Luke to the part of the castle that he hadn't seen
during his exploration.

The library was taking up five large halls; each one of them was filled with
books and manuscripts of all kinds and all languages. Even to Luke's
inexperienced eye, they looked very old.

"This is the old part," his father explained coolly, as if reading his thought
once again. "You most probably won't need to touch anything here. Besides, all
these books have been scanned and can be accessed from the terminal, so are the
most recent ones."

"..OK. Father?" he inquired somewhat hesitatingly as they walked past rows of
books.

"Yes?"

"have you read all this?" he asked, looking around himself at the large quantity
of documents that were gathered in the shelves that were around them.

"Almost."

"Even in other lang..." Luke frowned "How many languages do you speak?"

"Eleven. Plus five dead ones."

Luke stopped in his tracks and gaped at him as if Vader had transformed in
something strange.

The Dark Lord stopped his forward progress and looked at him . "What?"

"I..." the youth hesitated as his eyes slid from the dark Lord, to the books,
and back to the Dark Lord.

"You didn't expect this from a Dark Lord of the Sith?"

"Well... no, I didn't," Luke admitted with a shameful blush.

"Strange enough," Vader commented as he resumed his walking. "I have, after
all, told you that I'm a Sith of the Circle, the symbol of memory... and
knowledge."

Luke followed him. "I... Yes, but... I mean, your manners... I mean, you are
brutal and cold, so I..." he fumbled inarticulately and feeling quite foolish
for it.

"Luke," Vader sighed, turning around to face him. "I may be brutal, cruel and
cold, but it doesn't mean that I am uncultivated or stupid." He resumed his
walking once again. "It certainly doesn't mean that I am only interested in
killing."

"Sorry," Luke apologized contritely as he once again fell in step beside him.
Man, he could be so foolish sometimes...

"No need to apologize, you didn't offended me," his father reassured him, then
pointed toward a big computer bank that was coming up in front of them. "This
is the terminal..."

As he skimmed through the directory, Luke reflected that his father's library
was much more understandable that any other that he had ever seen before.

After a brief introduction to the storing system, it was almost impossible to
not find the needed document. It also seemed to be the most complete library
that existed nowadays.

History, philosophy, religion of most civilizations, sciences, languages,
political archives...

"It's huge!" he finally whispered in awe.

"Yes, it is. If you don't find what you are seeking, you can access Coruscant
Main Library. If you don't find it there, then it does not exist."

"I'm interested in Jedi teachings," he informed him.

He sensed his father smile. "As expected. I think that there are some books for
students... Here." The list of titles came up on the screen. "By the way, do
you have some education other than highschool level?" his father asked him
conversationally.

"Er.. Well, not really, but..."

"But what?"

"I have the Force," Luke commented, feeling kind of uncomfortable to admit that
he didn't know much about anything.

Especially now that he knew what a cultivated man his father was.

"Even a complete idiot can feel the Force, Son," Vader observed rather coldly.
"The Force can help you to choose a variant, but you must have variants from
which to choose. If you don't know some language, the Force can't teach it to
you, even if you're a Jedi Master and need it to survive. Begin with this."

Luke looked at the screen. "First level, first year... For the beginners?"

"And what do you think you are?" his father asked mock-seriously.

Luke pursed his lips in acceptance; was he going to stop making a fool of
himself while around his father? "I suppose you're right... "

"If you have some questions, call me."

"Thank you," he answered as he picked up the card that slid out of the
distributor slot.

Vader nodded to him and left. Luke installed himself in a chair in the reading
room, then began to study.

******

The next morning, Luke was back in the observation room.

Behind the window, his father entered the operation room and knelt beside Leia.
Meanwhile, Luke, Han and Chewie were watching the last preparations before the
beginning of the operation.

"Where were you last night?" Solo suddenly asked him.

Luke threw an askance gaze at his friend; there had been something in his
voice... "Why are you asking me this, Han?"

"I could return the question to you, Kid," his friend replied unpleasantly.
"Why are you so close to Vader all of a sudden. Care to explain?" he challenged
him.

Luke knew he had no choice to explain, but now was not the time for Han to learn
the truth... not the whole truth at any rate.

"We made a truce," he finally said, revealing part of his secret to his friends.

"A truce," Solo repeated, expressionless.

Luke slowly walked away from his friends and sat in the chair that was located
near the wall. He wasn't proud of having lied to Han, but he had had no choice.
Besides, most important of all, he didn't regret it, not when it served Leia so
well. "When I found out about Leia's disappearance and Mon's betrayal," he
began, glumly, "I had no one to turn to... except him."

Solo choked on his own breath. Even Chewie expressed his disbelief. "You're
even crazier than I thought," his friend shot disparagingly.

"It's not what you think," Luke defended himself.

Han frowned at that. "Kid, you've been telling me that ever since we've been
brought aboard his ship. Now spit it out!" he ordered him.

Luke knew that tone of voice. If he didn't tell him the truth, Han would ignore
him and start giving trouble.

"All right..." he sighed. "With no one to turn to, I spent some time analyzing
the situation, and I realized that he hadn't chased me down since Bespin... I
meditated a lot on that fact, and discovered the truth."

"Which is?" Han prompted.

"The Emperor wanted me, Han; not Vader. And the Emperor is out of the circuit."

"What do you mean, out of the circuit?" the other frowned confusedly.

"He's lost in harmless insanity; Vader is the true ruler now, but nobody knows
about this, except the Force... and Mon Mothma."

"So you actually trusted the Force and contacted him?" Han inquired in
disbelief.

"Yes," he admitted. "He came alone, we talked, and made a truce."

"You realize, of course, that this could've been your end."

"I knew, that the Force wouldn't lead me into a trap," he replied seriously.

Chewie seemed to agree with him, for once.

"All right, so let me get this straight," Solo said as he began to pace in the
small room. "You have been working with Vader ever since you resigned your
commission, which means that you faked your duel at the Massacres' base, as well
as our capture outside their headquarters."

He reluctantly nodded, then apologized: "I'm sorry, Han... I couldn't tell you."

"You're damn right that you couldn't tell me, Kid" the other nodded
energetically. "For one thing, I would have knocked some sense in that head of
yours."

"And Leia wouldn't be safe," Luke retorted, feeling some of his temper slip from
his control.

"We would've found another way..." his friend argued with him. "Just tell me
something; why did he take it so hard on me at the fortress?"

Luke tried his best to restrain his amused smirk. He, of course, couldn't tell
his friend that his father didn't approve of his relationship with his sister...
He tried to imagine another reason.

In the end, it was easy to do so.

"Between the two of us, he knew that I would go along; you were the wild card.
He had to control you, but he couldn't leave you behind either."

"And now?"

"Now is different and you know it," Luke reminded him. "He hasn't even
threatened you once, even though you have yourself. How about giving him a
break, Han?" he offered.

"What?!"

Chewie's expression matched Han's.

"I mean as long as he doesn't try anything, why not let him be?" he suggested
earnestly. "After all, he is working with us in this matter."

Han's conflicting emotions ran wild on his face: doubt, love, anger,
frustration, worry. His features were like a mosaic of feelings.

He settled for cooperation. "All right, but only for as long as he'll behave
himself," he warned him.

This time Luke openly smiled at the use of his father's preferred expression.

Solo turned toward the window, only to find it darkened. "Leia!" he exclaimed---
and bolted for the door.

His friend caught him as he ran past him. "Han, don't! It's okay!"

Solo fought against him, easily freeing himself. Luke hurried to slide forward
and stand again in front of his friend; he grabbed hold of his biceps and kept
him from going out.

"Out of my way, Luke," Han warned him vehemently, "or you'll be responsible for
the consequences."

Luke noticed the words yet again, slowly growing aware of how similar his
father and friend were, then he noticed the close presence of the bulky
Wookiee.

"Han, listen to me," he tried again. "Everything is fine; this was a request of
the medical team. They don't want any disturbance, the operation is too
difficult."

"No!" Solo objected. "He's hurting her."

He moved to throw Luke's hold off of him; the Jedi strained against him.
"Han, please." Chewie moved closer. Luke changed tactics. "Chewie, believe
me. She's fine, I can feel it. Remember, she's my sister. I know how she
feels, when she's in danger. She's not." Meanwhile he continued to strain
against Han, who managed to slip through his arms and barrel for the close-by
door.

Han had barely stepped inside the corridor though when Chewbacca caught him by
the scruff of his shirt and pulled him back inside.

*Listen to the cub," he said. *He knows what he's talking about."

"Let me go, Chewie!" Han raged impotently.

He began to try and set himself free from his co-pilot. Luke caught one of his
flailing arm and helped Chewie to control him.

"Han, think about it. Why would I lie? What possible motivation could I have
to lie to you?" he asked earnestly

"'He' is lying to you!" Solo continued to argue.

Luke exchanged a look with the Wookiee, who was holding Han's other arm. The
both of them were now dragging him toward the middle of the room where they
could pin him more easily.

*Chewie, we can't let him disturb the operation! It's too dangerous!*

Faster than Luke thought possible, Chewbacca pulled Han down onto the floor and
easily pinned his hands above his head.

Han was furious. "Skywalker, I swear you'll regret this!" he spat.

"I'm sorry."

He exchanged a look with the Wookiee; Chewie agreed with his decision. Luke set
his hand on Han's temple and knocked him out with the Force. Their friend
slumped in their hold.

*Now we know that he really loves her," Chewie commented.

"I've never doubted it, Chewie. I can't keep him that way for the next two
months though... You've known him for longer than I do. What will make him
change his mind?"

*To see for himself that she is fine.*

They were stuck then...

"Let's get him on the bunk. If we can't figure out a way to do that, we'll have
to make sure that he doesn't barge into the main room or knock on the window."

*I will keep an eye on him. You keep an eye on Leia."

For a moment or two, Luke gaped slightly at the tall creature who had just told
him to use the Force to check on his sister. It was the first time that Chewie
had clearly demonstrated his belief in the Force. "Thanks," he nodded in
agreement, "I will."

Leaving Chewie to care for Solo, he himself sat on the floor, cross-legged, and
reached out. He quickly found the nearby presences of his sister and father.

*What took you so long?* his father inquired.

*Trust problems... It's arranged. For the moment at least.*

*For the next operation the isolation will not be necessary, and after this one
is finished he will be allowed to see her,* his father informed him, obviously
aware of 'who' he was talking about. *That might help to calm him*

*Thank you.*

*Are you ready to begin?*

*Yes. *

*Good,* the other nodded mentally. *Follow me...*

They found themselves facing a moat of deep dark water that was surrounding a
high, beautiful tower of ice.

*Princess Leia Organa, hear my call,* the dark Lord sent out.

Her answer came almost instantly. *Go away, Vader.*

*Let me enter in your fortress, Daughter,* he beseeched her. *Lower your
walls.*

*No, learning the truth about you has hurt me enough,* she spat vehemently *I
will not let you hurt me again.*

*I don't mean you any harm, Leia. Let me help you. Let me guide you back to
your former self,* he pleaded with her.

*No. There's no light,* she retorted vehemently. *no love, no reason to fight.*

*Leia, please,* he entreated her.

*No, I'll die before I let you in,* she defied him.

*Leia,* Luke suddenly sent, *hear my call.*

*Luke?* she asked, shifting her focus to the new, unexpected presence of her
brother.

*Yes, it's me. Let him help you, Leia,* he pleaded with her. *He won't harm
you, I promise.*

*How... can you be sure--?* she asked, her voice suddenly devoid of the strength
that she was pretending to have with their father.

*Look at me, sister. Look in my heart,* he instructed her. *What do you see?*

*Trust... and care,* she added after a long silence.

*Now look in my heart, Leia,* Vader told her. *What do you see?*

An even longer silence followed the dark lord's question.

*Care,* she finally admitted.

*Will you let me help you?* her father asked her.

*Please, Leia...* Luke sent in the silence.

A small candle appeared to the window of the tower, showing her weary acceptance
of the dark lord's help. A 'door' opened to allow them entrance in her walls.
In common agreement, Luke and Vader's spirits slowly moved forward to cross the
moat and enter the princess's first wall.

As they continued to move inward, they ran into more walls. The sturdiest of
the lot was Leia's desire to protect her identity. As the faced it, they
discovered that she thought that if she were to let the dark lord
inside, it would mean that she would become like him.

Her father didn't force down her wall. Instead, he tried to reason with her.

*Leia, can you see yourself?* her father asked her anew.

*Yes...* she whispered, having given up any pretense of strength.

*Do you really see that much difference between Leia Organa and Leia Skywalker,
daughter of Lord Vader? It doesn't change who you are.*

*You're lying,* she cried in a small voice.

*No, he isn't, Leia,* Luke cut in. *You are still the wonderful woman I've
grown to think of as a sister even before I knew the truth.*

*And you are still the young woman who has earned my respect despite the fact
that you were with the enemy, daughter. You are still as courageous, as kind,
as exceptional as before.*

A ponderous silence answered them. She was thinking.

*Let me help you, sister,* Luke pleaded.

*Let me bring your light back, daughter,* Vader added.

The wall that was blocking their progress suddenly dissolved into thin air.

*Yes,* was Leia's answer.

Their father found her healing center without any other mishap and initiated her
Force healing. Luke watched from a distance, taking care to soothe his sister's
mind whenever she showed an inkling to fight them off.

Many hours later, they left her mind to reintegrate their own bodies.

*Oof! We did it!* Luke breathed, wiping perspiration from his forehead.

*Thank you, Son. Next time will be much easier.*

*That's a relief,* he smiled tiredly.

*Now, I'm sorry, but I have to concentrate again,* his father told him,
switching back to the Force.

Luke understood that the older man was going to continue the healing, but
without him this time.

*Okay. I'll see you in the evening,* he told him, then slowly recovered his own
senses.

The moment that he opened his eyes, Han assailed him with questions about Leia.

TBC in part 10: The Truth

Copyright 2001, Skyjade and Tatiana (aa354105@econophone.ch)
Webmaster : (skyjade@globetrotter.net)(Any positive stuff is welcome,
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