Redemption Part 9

Redemption
Part 9: Dark Lessons
By SJ 12-23-01/05-02 (skyjade@globetrotter.net)

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Special thanks to my shy, secret beta-reader and best friend, Adrianne, for her
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me some of your precious time, my friend :)
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Considering that Luke's fleet was currently patrolling the outer rim area, it
took Anakin almost two weeks and a half to rejoin him.

Meanwhile, his son continued his secret missions, sabotaging a little less than
half of the fleet as one ship after another shortly reported to him before they
headed toward their new assignments. He also gathered so much information about
the clones that he even knew how to poison them without anybody being the wiser.
However, he had to admit defeat as far as information on the Siths and the
darksiders went. He would have no choice, he sighed in reluctance, but to go to
the source...

To the Emperor.

Luke was still debating his decision when his father's shuttle landed gracefully
in the main hangar bay of the ship. They both went through the regular
ceremonies and pleasantries, then retired to his quarters. There, they went all
the way to his secret room where he had gathered his data and strategies.

"So I take it that your coming here isn't a visit of courtesy, Father," he
sighed as he perched himself on his work table."

His father silently shook his head as he read a pad on which he had entered the
recipe of a poison.

"Do you... remember how much he insisted that you cared too much about me and
Mara Jade... and Leia?" Anakin inquired seriously.

How could he forget, he winced as he remembered all the stern, sometimes even
painful lectures that he had gotten from the Emperor about this. He nodded
silently.

His father took a deep breath, then finally faced him completely.
"He has decided to rid you of it, completely..."

Flashes of the last time that the Emperor had taken actions on him suddenly
invaded his mind. His father, who didn't know about his secret, noticed his
sudden paleness; he leaned closer until he could caress his face with his right
hand.

"I know, Luke," he reassured him, "we'll do everything that we can to cut it
short."

Luke slightly shook his head in answer, then looked up and locked his gaze with
his father.

"There's... something that you must know... about me and the Emperor, Father,"
he began hesitantly, then, when the older man remained silent, plunged in. "To
keep Leia alive for a longer while, I... temporarily gave my soul to him as a
fee."

"Gave your soul?" his father half-whispered in shock, then dropped his hand from
his face. "You don't mean that he overcame----"

Luke could only nod in shame.

For a long moment, both remained silent, avoiding each other's gaze, then his
father turned away from him, his fists clenched in anger. The younger Jedi
conceded that he knew exactly how the other felt; he wasn't very happy either.

Anakin could barely keep his anger and hatred in check anymore. The Emperor had
'dared' do this to his son. Had he not been separated by lightyears from the
Emperor's presence, he would have slashed him in two with his lightsaber. That
vile----

"Father," both his son and someone else called gently.

He whirled around, and felt his dark feelings evaporate at the sight of his
beloved daughter.

"Father," she repeated after exchanging a gaze of compassion with her brother,
"entertaining such thoughts will not help you," she advised wisely.

"But he will do it again," he argued, walking closer to Luke as if that would
protect him from their temporary duty.

Leia nodded sadly, closing her eyes in compassion, then refocused on him and
Luke.

"I'm afraid so, yet at the same time, I am relieved."

"Relieved?" both Luke and him gaped in disbelief.

"His greed for your soul has initiated his undoing, Luke," she explained, for
the first time revealing part of the future to them. "While I wish that it
wouldn't be so and that the plan would instead continue with the original time
table, I can't, in my heart, forbid you to follow this dangerous path. It will
lead you to victory."

"And to quite a sacrifice," Anakin retorted with slight acidity in his voice.

To his surprise, his son nudged him with his elbow, then gave him a stern look--
- warning him against his resent, he realized. Instantly feeling sheepish, he
took a deep breath and forced himself to calm down.

"If it can comfort you both," their angel continued gently, "it would have
happened anyway; Luke's past experience with the Emperor is the key to unlock
his secrets... and to open all the chains that he has forged throughout the
galaxy."

"Then better now, and from him, than anything else," his son half-whispered in
reluctant acceptance

The three of them remained silent, considering their thoughts.

"Well," Luke finally sighed heavily, "I guess we don't have any other choice but
to play this one out too."

"But we will take our precautions before you go anywhere near the dark monster,"
Anakin stated with finality.

Hence, back in Luke's regular quarters so that he wouldn't be able to betray his
and his father's strategy, Luke allowed his father total access to his memories
and mind... Ani erased everything which concerned their plan against the
Emperor, leaving only Luke's awareness of his own return to the light and his
desire to escape the Emperor, but tucking them deep under his training, his
servitude to the Emperor... and his last discipline. Unless the Emperor found
his son's shielded shields, he surmised seriously, he wouldn't see past their
strategy until Ani would decide that the time of their final kill was at hand.

As he erased his son's memories of his last mission, witnessing how he had
swiftly dispatched two wary guards before covering up with a phony stealing of
technical details, Anakin felt a great pride for his son, his beloved son. They
would both be on their own once again for the time being now, he reflected
sadly. He himself wouldn't reveal his Light-self to Luke until the last moment.
By then though, he hoped that his son would understand what he was doing and
would jump in to help him, no matter what the Emperor would have tried to do to
him. Just to make sure that Luke's light would be safe, he planted a
compulsion in his son to keep his Jedi self hidden but alive, and ready for
action. Thus, he estimated that his hidden Light would survive in secret.

Then, once the Emperor would be dead, he thought as he exited his trance and
waited for his son to pick up on his 'false' memories of a few minutes before,
he would give him back what he had just taken from him. He would make sure to
keep his memories safe and sound.

"Are you sure," Luke finally inquired sadly, "that there is no other way?" he
asked, raising his head to gaze up at him.

"Do you want to anger him again?" he asked seriously, as if he were still Vader
and that Luke hadn't told him the secret of his past 'bargain' with the evil
man.

"No," his son shook his head sadly. "I know... that my weak heart doesn't
please him, Father," he added regretfully, "and I did try to get rid of it by
myself, but... it is who I am," he finished glumly, then stood to his feet.

Anakin watched him, relieved to see that his erasing/planting of memories had
worked even better than he had hoped. Luke turned toward him, his hands away
from either his lightsaber or other hidden weapons.

"Who will I be if I give this up?" he asked in worry.

"A servant of the Emperor," he answered shortly, as if it were the only
important thing in their lives.

"But I already am," his son pouted, an attitude that he hadn't seen in him,
either Light or Dark, for a long, long while. "and I serve him well, now. I
don't even love Mara as much as before," he added sadly, turning away from him
once again.

"But you are still very much at risk to turn into a Light Jedi, Son," he
reminded himself grimly, standing up and walking up to him until he could rest
both of his hands on his shoulders. "Do you even want to chance this?" he
asked, mock-disdainfully.

"No," was Luke's answer even as his disgust came through to him. "Being a
'Rebel' was enough for me."

"Good," Ani nodded, tightening his hold on his son's shoulders. "The Emperor
wouldn't worry about your soul if he didn't want to keep you in his service,
Son, don't worry. You can trust him," he lied, once again thanking the Force
for his mask.

He wasn't able to restrain his grimace of disgust at his own words.

"I know," Luke nodded tiredly, then sighed and straightened before turning
around to face him. "I won't disappoint him, Father. I will get rid of my
weakness," he answered earnestly.

The two of them gazed at each other more seriously, then Luke stepped away from
him.

"I shall leave immediately," the youth told him, then was gone to inform his
officers about his summon to Coruscant.

Behind him, Anakin gazed at his back, then rested his hand on his belt's pocket
where he had stashed Luke's data disks. 'And I shall not leave you in his claws
any longer than I have to, Son,' he silently promised him, then followed him
outside.
Everything was in place now, and except for his son slightly spying on the
Emperor, but mostly keeping him from being suspicious, their fate was in his
hands now. His son had more than done his part.

*******

Three hours later, Luke left his flagship and retired in the private quarters of
his long-distance shuttle. The Emperor had once again found a way to overcome
him... Just great, he sighed in frustration, then sat down hard on the bed in
his quarters. First, he had had to hide his true self from Mara and his father
in order to protect his secret and his plan, thus putting more and more
emotional distance between himself and them, and now, the Emperor would do
everything in his powers to make his efforts worthless. Well, he wouldn't let
him win this easily, he resolved with all his might. No matter what the other
did, what he wanted him to do, he would do it while retaining his love for his
family and friend. For the past months, he had done just that, he reflected to
reassure himself, so it shouldn't be that difficult to keep it going... even
with the Emperor's close scrutiny nearby. He just had to reinforce his shield,
he decided, then set to work on that. He had more than enough time to prepare
for his upcoming meeting, he reflected sadly before he entered his meditation
trance.

******

In his private rooms in the palace, the Emperor smiled greedily to himself. The
youth was on his way here, and according to his spy's report, he was coming for
an unknown lapse of time. And indeed, he reflected in satisfaction, even he
himself didn't know how long he would keep him close-by. First, there was that
matter of Light, although much less serious than what he had led Vader to
believe, but second, if the youth bowed to his every wish, he was going to groom
him, to become a very special servant for him, even more than his father was, he
thought seriously.

More and more, he had decided that he was spoiling the boy's best talents on the
bridge of his ships whereas if he dispatched him anywhere he pleased, with
missions as his dark lord or not, then he would truly be his best servant ever,
despite what he himself had led his father to think during their last meeting.
Now that the boy's despised love affair with Jade was mostly over, he would be
totally his. His to control, order... and mold. If his project worked as he
estimated, he thought in greed, even his father would become inconsequential to
the youth, but first, he reminded himself seriously, he would have to rid him of
the sole remnant of his life before he had become a Dark Jedi: his care.

Then, and only then, would he be able to teach him some of his dark secrets and
take possession of his mind, just like he had seen during his recent
meditations. content with this future, he served himself a second generous
serving of strong liquor and savored his coming new conquest, a conquest he had
always meant to accomplish yet events had kept playing against him... until now.

*******

Unaware of the Emperor's true plans for Luke, Anakin oversaw the ongoing patrols
of the fleet, then subtly began another phase of their plan. Every so often,
after reading reports and finding 'weaknesses', he ordered changes in the crew
of less satisfying ships... thus slowly transferring conscripts aboard the
untouched ships while leaving true imperials aboard the sabotaged ones. No one
ever noticed anything since there were never more than twenty men transferred at
the time, and they never were from the same sections. On one ship, he made it
look as if he wanted to reinforce weaponry while the others would learn how a
good job was done; on another ship, it was the commander of a platoon who
couldn't go along with his troops anymore, and so on. Slowly but surely though,
the hundred and fifty ships of the fleet, his and Luke's included, became
exclusively conscripts or not; no one paid attention to this. They had a job
to do and they did it or else... face their lord.

In the galaxy, quietness remained. Luke's few assaults on a few strategic
populations had convinced most of them to remain quiet, and other than
intervening against criminal problems or very few pro-rebel elements, the
patrols proceeded without an hitch.

Meanwhile, he himself was hard at work in his study, reading all the data that
his son had gathered for him, then searching his own extensive Jedi library for
the secret abilities that the Emperor had undoubtedly developed but kept secret
from his son and himself. He dimly hoped to be able to act before his son spent
time with the Emperor...

But two weeks and a half after his departure, he had to admit failure regarding
that goal. He wasn't near ready to confront their slaver one last time. His
own ship continued his slow progress back toward Byss.

******

Luke's shuttle eventually landed on the landing platform that was closest to the
Emperor's throne room. He patiently waited for the ramp to lower, using this
last moment alone to prepare himself for his first meeting alone with his slaver
since Leia's death. During his trip, he had tried to establish contact with his
dead sister once again, but he hadn't been able to. Instead, he had had visions
of the future.

In some of them, he had managed to save himself, in others, he had also freed
his father and lover, and in others... he had failed. Before he could remember
much of those though, the shuttle hissed open; he strode down the lowering ramp,
then walked past the small honor guard and headed toward his 'master's' throne
room. He was expected and any delay wouldn't help him to survive this.

The Emperor felt the boy's arrival the moment that he entered Coruscant's orbit.
The moment he probed him, he became aware that, just like his right arm had told
him in his last report, the youth had indeed quashed much of his care already.
No matter, he shrugged, it would save him from more discipline but he would
still take measures to totally eradicate it from his persona.

Ten minutes later, the double doors at the end of his throne room opened; the
strong, average tall young man stood in the spilling light for a brief second,
allowing him to register the contrasting, ominous black and white image in his
mind to savor it later on, then he stepped inside and the doors closed behind
him. He himself kept his eyes locked on his young, serious features, weighting
yet again all the possible futures for this most exceptional element. The youth
finally reached his level and knelt at his feet.

"Master," he said simply, respectfully.

The Emperor answered him by reaching out and probing him, as if to judge how he
had 'recovered' from his last punishment.

Luke kept himself from wincing as he felt the cold intrusion of the Emperor's
mind in his own, but it was short-lived and he was left alone. The other hadn't
detected his shield.

"I see that your father taught you well once again, my young friend," the evil
man commented as he leaned even deeper in his throne.

"Yes, Master," he answered humbly, still on his knee since he hadn't been told
to rise.

"Tell me," the other continued, amusement obvious in his voice, "what are your
feelings nowadays for Mara Jade?"

"They aren't the same, Master," he answered mock-truthfully although he made
himself feel as if it were the truth.

The Emperor didn't notice anything wrong.

"But you still love her," he pointed out, standing to his feet to loom closer to
him.

The youth nodded contritely, then the Emperor told him to look at him.

"I warned you about the danger of love, young Vader," he began menacingly,
standing so close to him that his neck was hurting thanks to its extreme angle
backward. "Your companion finally understood it, but you..." His hand shot out
and clasped his chin; Luke couldn't help but wince in reaction. "You keep it
alive... and open yourself to its corruption. We almost lost you once," he
reminded him, bending forward until he was drilling him with his piercing yellow
eyes. "Do you want to risk it again?" he spat viciously at him.

"No, Master," he answered instantly, earnestly.

"Good," the other nodded in approval, then let go of his chin. "We shall rid you
of that feeling, my young friend, and since you are so vulnerable to its
corruption, not even care will remain in you."

"H--- how, Master?" he inquired nervously, uncertainly.

The Emperor gave him another glare before he recovered his cool attitude and
stepped away from him.

Palpatine was pleased with his discussion with the youth. He was already
dragging him wherever he pleased like an obedient servant. He pretended to be
upset by his attitude of fear, but in fact, he was studying the youth. He could
really do with more training, he decided.

"First of all," he began seriously, "no more contacts with anybody but myself
and a few selected trainers," he informed him. "With a new focus for the time
being and forced solitude, your corruption shouldn't survive, and if you keep it
alive," he continued, his voice suddenly growing cold with dark threat, "I
shall punish you in a way you most despise already, and it will be so for as
long as you haven't destroyed that side of you, am I clear?" he demanded.

The widening of the boy's eyes told him that he understood exactly what his
punishment would be; the privacy of his mind. He 'would' fight against himself,
he understood.

"Aside from physical challenges, you shall further your training in the Dark
Side; it is time for you to unlock some of its secrets," he finished coolly,
appraising the young man yet again with his eyes.

In time, he thought in satisfaction, he would be a perfect tool, honed and
sharpened to perfection, and unlike Jade or his other hands, who all had
limitations, or his father, who was growing old, young Vader wouldn't have any
limitations of any kind, and would be content to live for him and his will only,
as he had once told him when he had marked him as his own. It was now time to
use this bond between them, he cackled inwardly.

"We begin tonight," he informed him, turning away from him in dismissal.
"Report to level 98, wing D. They are expecting you."

Given his training as an agent, Luke couldn't help but gape as he understood
where he would be quartered: the Emperor's secret projects area. He himself had
been there only once during a mission, but otherwise, he had never ventured in
the top-secret section. He had to admit that some of the experiments that were
going on there were giving him the creeps, especially the biological ones. He
could only hope that the only purpose to keep him there was that there was no
better place to be truly secluded, except the detention levels of course. He
wasn't particularly interested in taking part to any experience there.

"Yes, Master," he bowed again, then stood back to his feet and left the
platform.

On his way toward his destination, he allowed himself a slight sight of relief;
exercising and using the Dark Side, that wouldn't be too bad compared to what he
had lived through with Mara around. What would be hard though would be to truly
hide his love for Mara, but he had to do it; he wouldn't give the other even one
occasion to punish him. He entered the suddenly deserted turbolift, then rode
it all the way to level 98, then, taking a deep breath to gather his courage,
walked down a corridor, then opened a non-descript door and stepped into another
corridor.

Unlike the regular design of the palace, this one was completely white; white
muzzles of laser weapons were barely detectable in its design. No one but
already cleared individuals could make it past this first security measure...
except perhaps a Dark Jedi, Luke reflected dimly before he refocused on the
present moment. At the end of the corridor was another door which slid open as
he neared it; two Force-pikes barely avoided slashing his nose off as they
blocked his progress forward.

"Identification," one of the taller men ordered.

Although he was well-known throughout the galaxy and especially from the royal
guards, Luke knew better than to not obey them. Since he also knew how they
proceeded in this part of the palace, he extended his hand, palm up. One of the
guards produced a tool and took a sample of his tissues, then shot them in the
nearby computer. A few minutes later, a new door opened in front of their small
group, giving access into a darkened room that was barely lit by green rays of
light. Scanning, Luke remembered.

"You are expected in room 24, my Lord," the guard bowed slightly.

Luke was tempted to thank him, but remembered why he had been summoned here and
affected a cool, even cold attitude. He walked forward, ignoring the two men.
His transit in the scanning room was strange since he could feel the beams as
they coursed up and down his body, but the crawly sensation was quickly over and
he was stepping into Wing D itself. It was exactly as he remembered, a series
of doors with a number; each door hid a secret, ranging from a lab to a hangar
bay. He reached door 24 and entered.

He didn't know what to expect, but what he got wasn't part of his possible
choices. A medic stood up from a chair behind a desk and walked toward him;
behind him was a complete medical station which enabled medics to run tests of
every kind.

"Welcome, my Lord," the man bowed respectfully. "If you please remove your
clothes, we will be able to proceed without delays."

'Efficient and straight to the point', Luke reflected in slight surprise, then
decided to obey. He didn't have much choice anyway, he reminded himself.
His secrets and survival depended on his pleasing the Emperor for the time
being. He took his cloak off his shoulders and hung it on one of the rings
beside the door, then did the same with the rest of his uniform.

******

Meanwhile, in a different laboratory near the core system, Anakin followed his
son's instruction as he created a biological agent that would be taken as
natural by the bodies of the Emperor's clones, but that would, in fact, keep
them from ever awakening and being alive. However, he smiled to himself, no one
would ever detect this until too late. While he had taught himself chemistry
and biology when he had become Vader, he had to admit that his son's knowledge
far surpassed his own. Of course, he conceded with a barely restrained sneer,
the boy had needed that knowledge to safely manipulate explosives as an
assassin. He himself only wished, that he had awakened sooner from his
nightmare and not drag his son into it with him. If only he hadn't needed
Leia's death to question himself, he sighed sadly.

*But Luke wouldn't have been able to help you, Father,* Leia's voice entered his
mind.

He looked up, and saw her just beside him, her compassionate gaze warming his
cold universe.

"I know," he nodded reluctantly, "but I still wish that I hadn't gotten you two
involved in it."

Leia nodded in understanding, then turned serious. He noticed it.

"What is it?"

"I know what the Emperor wants with Luke," she explained more grimly than she
had ever done ever since he had seen her in her spiritual state.

"And?" he prompted her, wishing not for the first time that he could touch her
once again.

"He doesn't want to overcome him exactly like we thought," she told him, then
tightened her lips, "but... you must act quickly or Luke's shield will fortify
itself until it can't be broken anymore, even by him... and a new dark threat
will rise on the galaxy."

Anakin listened to every word, feeling his insides churn with worry with each
new sentences. This was even worse than they had thought, he admitted glumly.

"Where is he now?" he inquired earnestly.

"In a secret section of the palace, resting from tests which will enable the
Emperor to create a training program that will develop him beyond his limits,
all the way to his complete, never-before-seen potential. He is also cut off
from everybody except the Emperor and a few others."

Definitely not good, Ani reflected, standing up from his stool to pace nearby.

"How long do I have?" he finally asked worriedly.

"Three weeks, perhaps a month," she answered softly, sadly.

He closed his eyes at this, praying that he would be on time. The poisoning
agent wouldn't be ready for another week, then it would take him at least two
weeks to reach Coruscant from the core. It would be a tight schedule, he
conceded reluctantly.

"I will try to keep an eye on him, Father," Leia promised, "but with the Emperor
nearby, I don't want to risk his safety."

"No, we don't want that either," he agreed with her, then lapsed into silence.

Somehow, he thought seriously, he would have to be on Coruscant in less than
three weeks.

******

Five days later, Luke collapsed on his bunk as he returned from yet another
demanding training session. Whereas he was still in very good shape, what the
Emperor's trainers were putting him through was unlike anything he had ever
faced. Up to now, he had never trained at full intensity for hours on end since
his former trainers had told him to vary the intensity of his exercises to
obtain better results. That principle didn't seem to apply to him anymore.

Then, he yawned tiredly, there were also the schedules of the trainings. He
never knew when he would train next, or how, and it could be during the day or
night alike. The Emperor though followed a more regular schedule, coming in
after his mid-day meal. At first, Luke had been reluctant to use the Dark Side
like the other was now teaching him, but he had had no choice and had done it.
What he realized as he reflected on his last session, was that slowly but
surely, he was beginning to get insight on his 'slaver'; he somehow knew a
little more about his powers, some of them that he had never even witnessed
before. However, he wasn't close to understanding how he summoned them, nor was
he steeped enough in the darkness to be able to use them himself.

He wouldn't complain at all about this arrangement though; it relieved him.
While his very demanding physical work made sure that he didn't think much about
anything anymore, giving the impression that he was truly loosing his 'weak'
heart, he was in fact retaining it, keeping it close to himself and safe under
numerous shields of invisibility and darkness. Other than those three things,
he didn't have much in his life. He was staying in a small room which was
sparsely furnished with a bunk almost as hard as the platform under it, a small
replica unit that provided him with very few options from one meal to another, a
small fresher/closet, for lack of a better word to describe the small enclosure
in the wall, and he had three changes of clothes that weren't close at all to
the uniform that he had lost on his first day here. Everything was designed to
harden him, he admitted. At the moment though, he thought as he rolled on his
side, he didn't care about it at all; he just wanted to sleep.

He closed his eyes... and fell asleep almost instantly.

******

At the center of the universe, its true center, Lord Vader met with a group of
administrators and officers in the Emperor's castle on Byss. While he was there
to take poison the clones, he pretended to have captured documents that were
revealing the existence of an incoming attack on the fortress. Aware that the
forged documents wouldn't be enough to cover for his actions, he had also sent
anonymously the information to a nearby, small group of rebels would make sure
that his word would be true. As expected, the officers read the 'captured'
information, then snapped in action and ordered their troops to position
themselves at their defense station.

Meanwhile, he himself led the group of scientists to the clone's laboratory to
make sure that they were safe and protected from attacks from the outside.
While the creatures were already in separate, reinforced vats, Anakin suspected
that the Emperor had more than one system of defense which could be activated to
protect the future of his Empire. Hence, while an extra shield was methodically
lowered over each vat, then that a magnetic field was activated, Anakin took
advantage of his position near the control board to momentarily neutralize the
alarm system of the monitoring computer. Next, he surreptitiously emptied a
small vial in its nutrition system before resetting the complete system.
Around himself, the panicky medics and scientists continued to secure the
laboratory. Nobody noticed his actions, not even when he destroyed the
Emperor's sample of tissue in the lab before erasing its sequences from the data
banks. The clones were doomed now--- and the attack began.

As he surveyed the result of the last battle, Anakin silently praised the Rebels
for their valiant effort. Despite the high technology at the service of the
Emperor's servants, and despite the biological surprises of the fortress, the
freedom fighters had managed to incapacitate the command center and open a wide
breach in the wall of a secondary lab.

Had he had time to help the prisoners, he reflected on his way back to his ship,
he would have, but since he was on a tight schedule, he rejoined his flagship,
then ordered it back on its way, patrolling the area at top speed... toward
Coruscant.

******

TBC in part 10: Always in motion is the Future