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This is the moment Vader has been waiting for, from the moment he first heard that Luke was his son. He searched for him ceaselessly, and finally, the boy is here. His son.
Although, this was not how he expected their eventual meeting to go. He didn't mean to hurt him, definitely not like this, the same way Obi-Wan did him. Luke's lightsaber had hit his shoulder, and he... lashed out.
He doesn't know what to say to him about it, not now, so he can only keep talking, ready to tell Luke what they are to each other when the Force suddenly surges.
It feels like something's being ripped through time and space, and then, four people fall from nowhere onto the very narrow walkway right behind him.
Vader turns sharply, freezing at the sight.
Every single one feels strongly of Luke, even if their presences are changed and shifted from the boy behind him. The core of it is still the same.
The youngest looks about ten, and he looks around with wide-eyed fear.
The older one looks close to his Luke in age, though maybe about nineteen and wearing typical, Tatooinian clothes. "Where – where am I?" he splutters.
The next one looks significantly older, maybe close to thirty, and his eyes widen as he stares at Vader. "... Father?"
He knows?
The oldest is far older, maybe even older than Vader, and he's staring at him like he's seeing a ghost. He also feels far darker and strangely lost.
Vader has absolutely no idea how they're here, but every single one feels of Luke, though from different periods in time.
"Son," Vader says, with every bit of the burning passion he feels for him, as he meets the second eldest's gaze.
He's radiating relief and grief at once. They must have known each other, then. Did Luke... accept his offer? But what happened? Why the grief, the moment he noticed Vader?
"Why do you look just like me?" protests the second youngest Luke, looking desperately between the others.
"I believe..." the oldest one says, slowly, "That we are all each other."
"What?" yelps the youngest.
"And I am in the past," he adds, turning to look at Vader again, "On... Bespin."
"What do you mean 'father'?" Luke from this time demands. He's holding onto the contraption at the end of the walkway, and it's hardly safe for him there, especially one-handed, but he'd likely not be very receptive to Vader's help at the moment. Understandably.
"Obi-Wan never told you what happened to your father," he replies.
Luke glares at him. "He told me enough. It was you who killed him."
Of course, Obi-Wan would've told him that. He'd never say the truth – not that it wasn't Vader himself who told Obi-Wan something similar. "No, I am your father."
There's a moment of absolute silence.
The eldest two already lived this moment; he can feel it in their turbulent feelings at being back here again, and also, he thinks at... seeing him again?
His Luke just stares at him, horror and denial flitting across his face. "No. That's not true. That's impossible."
The youngest two just feel confused. They... must not even know who Vader is, yet. Obviously, they're from before Luke joined the Rebellion.
"Search your feelings. You know it to be true." And that is something his son won't be able to deny.
"That doesn't make sense," the youngest protests, "My father was a navigator on a spice freighter. You don't look like one."
Vader jerks, spinning to look at him. "What?" Where in all the galaxy did he hear that?! Of all the things someone could say about him, why a spice smuggler?
"That's what Uncle Owen told me," the second youngest explains, "But he said you were dead."
Owen.
So it was the Lars who raised him?
"Vader's telling the truth," the second oldest speaks up, "And I don't think Uncle Owen knew what happened. But Ben was lying to us."
"No," denies present-Luke desperately, shaking his head. "No." It won't be an easy realization for him, but the oldest two have obviously accepted it.
Vader wanted to find his child, and now, he has five. It's better than anything he could've imagined. "Join me," he requests, to all of them, "Together, we can rule the galaxy as father and son. You can destroy the Emperor. He has foreseen that, and with all of you here, he will never see it coming."
Why are the oldest two suddenly radiating so much pain and... fear?
"Rule the galaxy?" squeaks the youngest, thoroughly mind blown.
"Who are you now?" the second youngest asks, no less bewildered and overwhelmed, "Are you with the Rebellion?"
It makes sense he would think that, given that he knows little of what's happening right now. "I serve the Empire, and the Emperor is... destroying it."
"We can talk about this... later, I think. You shouldn't stay out there," the oldest Luke advises, turning to present- Luke.
Present-Luke watches them warily, and Vader reluctantly moves away from the railing, to where the other Lukes are standing, so present-Luke will be comfortable enough to crawl back along the railing over to them.
Where did he think he was going to go anyway? Jump?
He clammers back onto the walkway unsteadily, limping slightly closer, breathing hard, and nearly falling. Vader moves to catch him instinctively, though his Luke seems none too appreciative of the gesture, immediately pulling away and leaning against the railing.
"What happened to your hand?" asks the youngest Luke, eyes wide with disgust and horror.
... That is not something Vader desires to explain, especially not to a version of his son who can't be over ten.
"I think we need to go somewhere else to have this conversation," the second eldest Luke interjects, smoothly changing the topic.
"I will take you to my Star Destroyer," Vader asserts.
"No," objects the oldest, fear flaring around him, "Have you thought about what it would mean if Sidious found out about us? We can't go there. He'd hear word, wouldn't he? But you can come with us."
Vader hesitates, for a moment. Before it wouldn't have mattered, because Sidious told Vader to bring Luke to him. It's different now, though, because he doesn't want Sidious to have a warning that there are so many versions of his son. But...
He can't just walk away from the Empire. That would make it even more suspicious.
"Sidious will notice something more amiss if I leave," Vader replies.
"I'm sure he senses that already," the second oldest points out, "You don't need to stay here. Besides, we aren't ready to face him. We need to prepare elsewhere."
Vader's going to reply, when there's a shift in the Force, and Obi-Wan appears. And he does not look happy. "Do you know what you're asking him, Luke?" he demands. He must've been watching their entire interaction, or he'd likely be more shocked at all the Lukes then care about what they were saying to each other. "This is what I warned you about before Bespin."
"Why didn't you tell me?" present-Luke grits out in response, glaring at Ben. He's... becoming increasingly unsteady. They need to deal with his injury. They can finish this debate later.
"You weren't ready to know."
"You lied to him," Vader accuses, glaring him down. (He remembers the moment he cut Obi-Wan down and instinctively tries to shy away from it. It... haunts him constantly, even if he tries not to dwell on it.) "Do you not know what could have happened, had I not known who he was?"
"What you intend to do now is scarcely better," Obi-Wan retaliates.
"I will teach them the Dark Side to give them strength," Vader shoots back.
"Teach us... what?" echoes the second youngest.
"The true nature of the Force. The Dark Side is more powerful, and it is what you will need to destroy the Emperor."
"You will do no such thing," Obi-Wan warns, as though there's anything he can do from beyond the grave.
"Ben, give him a chance," interrupts the second oldest, before Vader can snap back at him, "He wants to be with us. I know he wants to stop Sidious. In the future I lived, he turned back."
Everyone stills – well, Vader and Obi-Wan do.
That... that doesn't make sense. It's not possible. He – After so long, a part of him wants that, more than anything else, but he knows it's just a dream.
"That's not possible," Obi-Wan argues, though there's a tad less certainty in his voice now than a moment ago.
Vader is loath to agree with Obi-Wan on anything, but this once he doesn't think he could argue.
"So you told me, but he did it."
"He turned back, and he saved me," the eldest reiterates. How is that possible when he – he knows he's a monster. Obi-Wan told him so on Jabi'im, that there was nothing left of him worth saving. So how could his son see something differently? "But now is hardly an ideal place to argue about this." he shoots a pointed glance at the other Luke.
"I... will come, for now. Until we are prepared," Vader concedes, finally. Though he already knows they're going to have demands, such as that he not say anything about the location of the Rebels, which, for now, he will not, so long as it means a chance to be with his children. Besides he may need their resources to destroy Sidious.
***
Vader lets Luke call his friends and briefly explain the situation – they definitely won't be happy to see Vader. Not that he cares. The Falcon comes in to pick them up, and the Wookie snarls at him the moment he comes on board.
Not that that's surprising, given what happened to the smuggler. "We can find your other friend, if you desire," he tells the Lukes.
"I know where he is or at least where he'll be," the second oldest replies, though Vader can feel his flare of gratitude at the offer.
"Luke!" exclaims Leia, darting over and pulling present-Luke into a tight hug. They're close. There's something about them, their connection in the Force... Vader can't place what it is.
Leia takes Luke to get his arm bandaged as the ship takes off.
The oldest Luke just stands there for a few moments, looking around the ship as though he's seeing a ghost. Vader can feel his pain, and that... doesn't bode well for the future. It's not something the second oldest has so it must be something after. What happened?
"Are you... well?" Vader asks, turning to him.
He looks at him, almost surprised. "I haven't seen this in a long time."
"Why not?" objects the second oldest, frowning.
"It's a long story, not one for right now."
"This is a real starship?" little Luke asks, bouncing on his toes.
"You mean I get to come with you, on your starship?"
"Yes, it is," Vader replies.
Youngest-Luke practically squeals, darting off towards the cockpit to look around.
It reminds him a lifetime ago, of when... he had been the same. He still remembers his first flight with Obi-Wan, when –
"I've never seen space before."
Vader follows the youngest two to the cockpit, as they eagerly look around. A now very nervous Lando and the Wookie are flying them, though Vader pays them no mind.
"What are those for?" the second oldest asks, leaning closer to look at some of the controls.
"What's this?" the youngest asks, reaching for a lever. The Wookie pushes his hand away, growling and patting his head.
"I will teach you to fly, later," Vader decides. So long ago when he first heard he would have a child, he imagined what it would be like. And he'd imagined... what it would be like to teach them to fly. He never doubted that his child would love it too.
"Really?" the youngest asks, eagerly.
"I always wanted to fly real ships. I was going to join the Academy for pilots back on Tatooine, but Uncle Owen kept pushing it off," the second replies, equally enthusiastic.
The feeling it gives Vader isn't something he's ever felt before. Except once, when he was raising Ahsoka but that was so long ago.
Once they've made the jump to hyperspace, Vader, the Lukes, and Leia gather in the hold to... talk.
"You need names," Leia says, flatly, "How are we going to tell you apart?"
"You can't tell your brothers apart?" the eldest asks dryly, then freezes.
The second oldest shoots him a look.
"What?" yelps the second youngest, confused.
"I wouldn't say we're exactly –" begins Leia.
"No use keeping this a secret," the second oldest points out.
"Keeping what secret?" Vader demands. Suddenly, he just knows. Leia's presence is brilliant, just as much as Luke's is, but he never had a reason to think anything of it, until right now. Luke can't be saying –
"It may have slipped my mind that you didn't know already," the oldest says, almost sheepishly, "You're our twin sister, Leia."
Sister. Leia is Luke's sister, and that means she's his daughter, and that Vader – He tortured her. And she's... she's his child. Now that he knows it, he realizes the resemblance to Padme. And she –
"What?!" Her and his Luke demand simultaneously.
They turn to look at each other, something akin to horror flashing across their faces for a moment.
Which is... not the reaction Vader expected when they already seem to act much like siblings. "What is it?"
"You don't want to know," interrupts the second oldest, though he looks like he's about to laugh.
"Why did we never hear we had a sister?" the youngest demands, staring up at Leia.
Leia glances between them, then back to Vader again, obviously realizing what their connection is. It's something he'll have to address later, though he doesn't know how. He's... hurt both his children badly.
"How'd you meet her?" demands the second youngest, "How did you – Wait, I think there's too many of me to keep this conversation straight right now."
"Can't I go with Luke?" the youngest asks.
"We can't all go with Luke," this timeline's Luke objects, "But someone could use Lars, and someone could use Skywalker. I haven't been on Tatooine for a long time, so..."
"He can have Luke. I'll go with Lars," the second youngest decides, motioning to the youngest.
"Maybe I'll just use my rank: Commander," decides this timeline's Luke. "What was happening when you all appeared here?" he adds, when the oldest two don't offer any immediate choices for names. They're likely still considering it.
"Someone was chasing me," Luke says, "I ran into the Dune Sea and then fell off some rocks and ended up here." Typical enough on Tatooine. It better not have been slavers.
"Uncle Owen just bought Artoo and Threepio," Lars – the second youngest, says, "I was supposed to be cleaning them up."
A shadow crosses Commander's face. "Well, you know when I'm from. It's been a couple years since then. I... joined the Rebellion, after the stormtroopers killed our uncle and aunt."
"They – what?" demands Lars, voice rising, "Why?! What –"
"They –" Luke starts, equally horrified and disbelieving.
They're... dead? Vader didn't realize, though he should've guessed, given Luke is here fighting. And it's because of the Empire that his children were hurt. Again. And it was senseless, because the Lars wouldn't have known what the droids were really for. Vader... doesn't know how to approach that. He knows the Empire hurts people senselessly sometimes, and it's this corruption that he's seeing everywhere – the same as in the Republic – that Sidious promised to get rid of. But he hasn't.
"We will rid the Empire of this corruption," Vader promises, firmly, "Once we are in control."
The others don't reply to that – he doesn't think any of them are keen on ruling the galaxy yet, though they haven't outright expressed disagreement with the plan. Not that they've really discussed a solid plan, yet.
"You two still need names," Commander interjects, eyeing the eldest two.
"Well, since only one of us can use Skywalker, the other can use... grandmaster maybe," suggest the second oldest.
... What?
"Not me," the eldest replies, firmly, "I'll go with Skywalker."
"What's wrong with that name?" Grandmaster objects – the second oldest.
"It's... a long story."
"Why choose a title such as this?" Vader asks.
"Because in my time, I'm the head of the new Jedi Order."
What?!
"You are?" Commander asks, surprised and suddenly hopeful at once, "So we won?"
Vader has no idea how to feel about the fact that his son is... a Jedi and restarted the Order. It means they clearly never stayed together in his time, did they?
"We did win," Grandmaster replies, looking more subdued, "But this... won't be easy to hear."
"Something bad happened?" asks Luke.
Grandmaster nods.
Vader waits for him to continue, and he could swear he feels Obi-Wan lingering close by, though he has yet to make a reappearance.
"It happened right after we tracked down Han. There was a second Death Star –"
"A second one?" Leia demands, voice rising.
Vader stills. "My master has told me nothing of this."
"You wouldn't know if it existed?" Commander objects.
"I know that which Sidious tells me," he replies, evenly. Clearly, it's not something his master thinks he needs to know yet. It's not like he doesn't know Vader never liked the Death Star. "I... did not approve of the Death Star in the past but it was his desire."
Commander and Leia exchange a silent glance.
"What's a Death Star?" interjects Lars.
"How do you build a star?" adds Luke.
"It's a battle station, intended to destroy planets."
"A planet?! Why would someone wanna do that?" Luke protests, horrified.
"The Empire rules by fear," Leia replies, flatly.
"We got the plans and were going to destroy it," Grandmaster goes on, "But we realized too late that it was a trap. I... left the others to deactivate the shield protecting it, and... turned myself over to Vader."
Vader stills, as all eyes momentarily turn to him. Somehow, he doesn't have a good feeling about the rest of it, not when he so keenly feels Grandmaster and Skywalker's pain over whatever happened next. He didn't hurt Luke, did he?
"Why would you have done that?" Vader asks, finally. It makes no strategic sense, when that would've let everyone know with certainty the Rebellion was there. (And why would someone come to him? That – it's only ever been him who chased others down, hoping for some semblance of... family with them.)
"Because you're my father," he replies firmly, "And I knew – know – there is still good in you. You don't have to stay like this. The Emperor hasn't entirely destroyed the person you used to be."
"I know it might not be easy to accept it after so many years, but I think you... know that," Skywalker adds, pinning him with a look.
"You do not know the nature of the Dark Side," Vader denies, even if it feels almost futile. (There's a small part of him that wants it, though, even if makes little sense because the Dark Side is stronger. Even Obi-Wan never believed there was anything left in him to save, but for some reason, Luke is offering this.)
"You let go of the Dark Side in my time," Skywalker argues, "You took us to Sidious who... revealed that was his plan all along. He was going to have all the rebels killed."
"I tried to attack him, but you intervened," Grandmaster goes on, "We fought, and I... won. Sidious wanted me to kill you, but I wouldn't do it. You threw him down a reactor shaft before he could kill me, but he electrocuted you, and damaged your suit. You turned back, but you... didn't make it."
Vader feels strangely numb. This isn't how he expected a reunion with his son to go, but it sounds more realistic than he wants to think about. If Sidious tried to kill Luke, he would do whatever he had to, to stop him. And, of course, Sidious would kill him. The prospect of dying doesn't bother him, because he's longed for it for so long, but that doesn't mean he wants it right now. He wants to be with his children.
And he could swear he feels Obi-Wan watching him, but instead of something condescending and angry, it's... denial, disbelief, maybe some horror, but he can't really tell. It's always strange to sense the emotions of a ghost, though he has countless times before. Lingering spirits can always be sensed with the Force, and they tend to linger most when they were killed. Vader is much too familiar with that.
The other Lukes all sit in a shocked silence. Even Leia seems... taken by surprise.
"We – we can't let that happen," Commander says finally, finding his voice.
Guilt twists inside of Vader, thinking of how he hurt him only hours before. Commander still doesn't have a replacement hand.
"We won't," Grandmaster replies, firmly.
Luke scoots closer to Vader, staring up at him with an obvious hint of fear in his eyes.
"I will do what I must to protect you," Vader vows, "But we... will not go until we're certain we are prepared. That is why you must learn the Dark Side – to make you stronger."
"How is the Light any 'weaker'?" objects Commander.
"I'm not going to Fall," Grandmaster replies, firmly, "In my time, you didn't defeat Sidious with the darkness, and I don't believe that's necessary this time, either."
"I might not believe the Jedi are right anymore, but I won't either," Skywalker replies.
"What do you mean you don't believe the Jedi are right?" Commander asks, incredulously.
That's... surprising. Commander and Grandmaster seem to firmly believe in the Jedi way. What would have changed? Or did they finally see the corruption the Jedi had?
"I tried to follow what the Jedi Order used to be like, even if my rules weren't as strict," Skywalker explains, another wave of grief washing through him. "I... learned more from survivors, even Ahsoka."
"Ahsoka?" Vader asks, surprised and relieved at once to hear her name. He knows she survived Malachor, but he doesn't know what happened to her. He's never seen or heard from her since. "She assisted you?"
"She offered advice. She didn't want to be part of an Order," Skywalker explains, "But she... emphasized the no-attachments rule, so I thought I should keep it, even if I was more lenient about it. Now, I think those same rules were what destroyed everything again. Leia had a child. Sidious was corrupting him, but I didn't know it until it was too late. We... fought, and a feud started with all the students, some of whom were already dark, too. The Order fell. I left in search of Sidious, but then secluded myself before I lost my way as well. I couldn't figure out what I had done wrong, but that made me wonder if the Order as it was should have been rebuilt at all. Perhaps there should be a Force Order, but not Jedi. Or Sith."
A stunned silence hangs in the air, for many long moments.
"It can't be because of the Jedi's principles. They stood for thousands of years before the Sith returned and destroyed them," Obi-Wan argues, suddenly materializing in the room.
Skywalker shakes his head. "Then what was it, Obi-Wan? The Order fell twice, operating on the same principles. Something wasn't right with it. And you and Master Yoda told me that it was the Jedi way to destroy the Sith, to kill my father. But he came back."
Obi-Wan glances at Vader again. Vader's expecting an instant denial, but his once master doesn't say anything immediately. "He has yet to do so here," he objects, finally.
"Even if he doesn't, he's still our father," Lars retorts, "Why does what side of the Force he uses matter so much?" He doesn't worship the Jedi the way Commander and Grandmaster seem to, but the question still surprises Vader.
"I'm sure the older Lukes can fill you in on what being a Sith means. It destroys people," Obi-Wan replies.
"This debate isn't helping," Leia interrupts, "But if an organization fell twice, I think that's reason to question if something isn't right."
"They were too involved in politics," Vader speaks up, "They were breaking the principles they themselves claimed to hold."
"What do you mean?" Commander frowns.
"As if you are one to speak," Obi-Wan retorts.
"I am not," Vader agrees sharply, "I am well aware of what I have done. But the fact still remains. I saw the Master of the Order attempt to kill someone in cold blood. And throughout the war, they took many questionable actions. Whatever the principles they once held were lost with time."
"I... I want to talk about this more later," Grandmaster says, "I don't know if I can even go back to my time, but if there's something I need to change, then..."
"At least we can figure it out for here," Commander agrees. He seems distinctly unsettled, not that Vader's surprised about that.
Obi-Wan doesn't look happy, but he fades out again when the alarms go off signaling that they're coming out of hyperspace by the rebel fleet.
***
Commander goes to get his hand replaced once they're back at the fleet, and Vader goes to see him as soon as he's out. The other rebels are clearly unhappy to see Vader here, but he could care less what they think.
Commander is studying his new hand, flexing it when Vader approaches – it actually looks mostly human, very unlike his own limbs.
"Father?" he asks uncertainly, looking up, hand dropping to his side as Vader approaches. That he was willing to call Vader that despite everything means... something.
"Son," he replies, because... the other Lukes can use the strange nicknames to identify themselves, but he will not, unless absolutely necessary. "Your hand, does it function?"
Commander hesitates, a touch wary and uncertain. He's also very obviously upset at the reminder of what happened. "It's fine."
"I... regret harming you," he begins, almost awkwardly. There is no real way to apologize for this. Obi-Wan had, only to promptly walk away, so he certainly has no idea how to go about it. "I did not intend to do it, but I am well aware that changes nothing."
Commander nods, clearly no more comfortable with the conversation, but he's still accepting the apology.
"If your limb requires any improvements, I may be able to perform them... if you desire it." He knows he'd certainly never be comfortable with Obi-Wan offering to help him, given he's the one who did it, so he can understand if Luke wouldn't want that. But at least he'll give him the offer to help with it, when it's his fault in the first place.
"You know about mechanical limbs?" Commander asks, changing the topic entirely.
He wouldn't know, of course. "All my limbs are mechanical."
His son freezes, pausing to presumably look at Vader's armor again, with an entirely new perspective. "All of them?!"
"Yes."
"How did that happen?!"
"I lost one in the war, and Obi-Wan relieved me of the rest."
"He – what –?"
"We fought," Vader replies, shortly.
Commander is still staring at him, eyes wide with horror. "He said you two were friends," he splutters, finally, "How could he – why would he –"
"We may have been once." He doesn't know if they ever truly were. He remembers the more positive moments, but sometimes... It doesn't matter, though. It was years ago. For years, Obi-Wna's betrayal had broken him, but finding his children gave him... something again. Something he would never have gotten otherwise. And since he killed Obi-Wan, it's been hard to feel anything but numbness towards him. "I destroyed his Order. He was... angry."
"But that's..." Commander shakes his head. "I don't understand how he could... do that?" He trails off, sounding hopelessly lost.
"I have questioned that for years," Vader admits. He's almost certain he can feel Obi-Wan lingering but staying very conveniently out of sight and reach. "But it does not matter now. I have found you. We may have missed years together, but we are together now, and we shall rule the galaxy together, instead."
"Instead?" Commander repeats, dubiously.
"I once would have given him that offer, but... he left." He would've, if Obi-Wan hadn't walked away on Jabi'im. But he doesn't want to think about that right now, or anything of the past.
His children are here and that's what matters most right now.
***
Vader's not surprised when Lars shows up to find him, radiating enough horror to mean Commander must've told him about the limb thing. "What's the difference between the Sith and Jedi?" he asks.
"The Sith use the Dark Side," Vader replies, "They draw on passion to fuel them. The Jedi use the Light Side, believing in a state of calm that only leads to complacency." It's a very simple explanation but since Lars doesn't know anything about either group, overloading him with information would only be confusing.
Lars frowns. "People used to say the Jedi were heroes."
"They were never the heroes the galaxy believed them to be," he answers, simply, "They were too focused on answering to the Senate, and not helping those who needed them. Why are you inquiring about this?"
"Commander told me that Obi-Wan warned him the Sith were dangerous and evil," Lars replies, frown only growing, "But what he did to you is... far worse than anything I've heard of... any Sith doing."
That isn't true, but he doesn't much want to detail to any version of Luke how he's done things just as bad, even if not the same way. (But he would never do it to his child, even if said child had destroyed everything he'd ever known. That doesn't mean Vader will... deny that he deserved what happened, even if he can't understand how Obi-Wan could've done it. Probably, he never will.)
"I think I... do want to learn the Dark Side," Lars goes on, when Vader doesn't immediately reply.
That... was not what he expected to hear, seeing how firm all the Lukes have been that they don't want anything to do with it. "Then we will begin immediately," Vader decides. (Even if there's a tiny part of him that can't stop thinking now, about... letting go of the darkness. He wants to. But he just doesn't know how. He doesn't know how to ever let go of the guilt that smothers him constantly. And he doesn't want to make his son drown in the same thing, but just because he teaches him the ways of the Sith, doesn't mean he has to have him do anything he would regret, the way Sidious always forced Vader to.)
"Wait, I don't even have a lightsaber," Lars objects.
... Good point.
"You can use mine to begin your training, but you will have to have a weapon of your own, in the future." He pauses then, a sudden thought occurring to him, even if he doesn't know what to think of that. He would never want to give that blade to anyone else. But Luke is his child, just like he had once raised Ahsoka. "I have a lightsaber that once belonged to... another, at my... castle."
"You have a castle?" Lars yelps, eyes widening, "I haven't seen anything fancier than Jabba's palace. And I thought you were just a military... something. Why do you even have a castle?"
"It is a fortress," Vader replies, "Though my master is likely watching there already for my return."
"Then how can we go back?" Lars asks, a touch nervously.
"We will find a way, when the time is right," he decides. No use giving Sidious a lead right now, when there's still other ways he can trail Lars.
Although it's something he'll have to work out soon, because Commander lost his lightsaber on Bespin. Vader also has Obi-Wan's lightsaber, as... strange as it is to hold the weapon that caused so much of Vader's pain. He can't imagine giving that to his son, though.
But it's not something they need to figure out yet.
***
Vader is unsurprised, though perhaps mildly amused, that Luke cares nothing at all but the Light and Dark Sides and 'why do they have such silly names?' The only thing he does seem to care about is flying.
"If you are ready, we can begin lessons now," he offers. He remembers, once, when he had been the same way.
Luke brightens. "Right now? Seriously?"
"Of course."
"Uncle Owen always said I had to wait," he says, practically bouncing to Vader's side and snatching his hand.
Vader stills entirely for a moment – it's been a long time since anyone's touched him so personally. He lightly runs his thumb across Luke's tiny hand, more for his son's benefit than anything. He's the one who can feel it, after all.
"You do not. We can go at once."
They move through the halls, Luke still holding onto him, and now, he keeps on squeezing it and then frowning. "Why's it so hard?"
Apparently, the others never told him about that. Vader is grateful for that. It's not something Luke needs to know when he's so young. "It is mechanical."
He squeezes it experimentally again – Vader can somewhat feel pressure, though it's hardly a real sensation. "That's so cool," Luke breathes, "I want one like Commander got."
...
...
He really has no idea what he's asking for, and a familiar wave of guilt tightens inside of Vader. "You may find them less intriguing as you grow older," Vader replies instead, before immediately opting to distract him entirely, "And the ship is here."
Luke lets go of him, running ahead up the ramp to the cockpit.
"You can fly once we are in space," Vader tells him, taking the pilot seat and explaining to him the purpose of the various important controls. (He tries not to think about that first mission as a Jedi, when Obi-Wan let him fly for the first time.)
"Yes!" Luke squeals, gleefully.
The take-off is easy enough, because the Rebel fleet in this area is just staying in space – whether because of Vader's presence or because they have nowhere else to go, he's not sure.
Luke excitedly takes the controls, accelerating the ship forwards as fast as he can before spinning it in circles, giggling. "When did you first start flying?" he asks.
"I flew pods from when I was very young," Vader answers, after a moment.
Luke pouts. "No fair. I saw one once and wanted to join, but Uncle Owen told me no."
"They are dangerous."
"But you did it!"
"That does not mean it was safe."
"But why you would do something not safe?" Luke objects.
He doesn't want to explain to his son what he was back then. "The circumstances made it necessary," he replies, "But the first time I flew a starship I was... nine. I mistakenly took it into battle and destroyed a droid command ship."
Luke sends the ship for another spin in response, looking even more gleeful.
"I did this once, when Obi-Wan took me flying. He did not like it." Vader – Anakin had the time of his life, though.
"You flew with Obi-Wan?" Luke asks, slightly mind blown as he sends the ship speeding forward again.
"He raised me," Vader answers, simply.
Luke looks up at him, confused. "But he doesn't like you. That doesn't make any sense."
Vader doesn't know why that makes him momentarily so fiercely ache for the past. "I betrayed what he taught me. I am a Sith now, and he is a Jedi."
"But the other mes are Jedi, and you don't dislike them," Luke argues.
It's too complicated for him to understand. Vader frankly doesn't want him to. "That is different," he replies, "And it was long ago. It no longer matters."
Luke makes a face but doesn't answer, returning his focus to flying. Especially with his son here, it gives Vader a stronger sense of freedom that he hasn't had in years. Or maybe it's because freedom might finally be within reach.
***
The quarters Vader has at the rebel fleet are adequate for now, but he'll have to figure something out about his condition before he needs treatment again. He's meditating in his quarters – for a moment, he misses his pod because it was relieving to be able to have his helmet off sometimes in there – when he senses Grandmaster lingering outside the door, presumably wanting to talk to him but unsure if he should interrupt.
He reaches out with the Force, nudging his presence, hoping it's enough of an indication. He moves to stand when Grandmaster enters, eyeing him.
"How are you... doing?" he asks, almost awkwardly.
What? Why is he asking that? "By what measure do you inquire?" Vader asks finally, because he's hardly sure what the question is supposed to mean.
Grandmaster eyes him oddly. "You just walked away from Sidious, and we – After what I told you about the future, I... I'm just wondering if you're alright. I can't imagine any of this is easy to handle."
That... what... Vader doesn't remember the last time someone asked him if he was alright. Doesn't remember the last time someone had a reason to, either. "I do not fear death. I only desire that you remain safe."
Grandmaster sighs, crossing the room towards him, lingering a few feet away. "I lost you once, Father," he says, finally, a weighted grief in his eyes, "I don't want to go through that again. I want us to be with each other."
Emotions he hasn't felt in a long time tighten inside of him. "You will not," Vader promises. If it would hurt his son this much, he'll do whatever he can to ensure he won't be harmed there, but only if the Lukes are safe.
"I know your physical condition wasn't that... good in the future or you wouldn't have been so easily damaged," Grandmaster says, slowly, "I don't know if there's anything we can do about that?"
It's a fair point, even if he knows this was always his destiny. "If it could have been improved, the Emperor would have ordered it already," Vader objects, even if he wonders sometimes. He doesn't know the details of his condition, but more and more, he wonders how much Sidious has been intentionally trying to hold him back.
"I doubt that," Grandmaster replies, bluntly, "I expect he's prepared in the event you betray him. I'd think the metal of your suit was designed to conduct lightning, not protect from it."
Vader pauses for a long moment. "Very well," he agrees, finally. If it will give them an advantage, he's willing to look into it, even if he doesn't think it's possible.
"I wanted to know more about you for years," Grandmaster adds, "I – I always wanted to know you, from the time I was little."
It's jarring to hear that – that someone actually wanted him, other than his mother. "Had I known you were alive, nothing would have kept us apart," Vader replies, "And we will... have time now." Nothing can make up for the fact that he never got to raise him, and Grandmaster is close to thirty now, but at least they're together now.
"I think we should probably accustom ourselves to each other's fighting styles," Grandmaster comments, "Even though I'm not going to become a Sith."
That... is a good idea, though Vader wonders for a moment how easy it would be for Grandmaster to practice sparring with him, when Vader... hurt him. "If this is what you desire," he says, finally. If his son is willing, then so is he.
***
Skywalker is the most closed-off of all of them, even if he clearly wants to be around Vader too. Though sometimes, Vader thinks his presence just makes Skywalker feel like he's looking at a ghost of the past. He can understand that feeling.
"Are you well?" Vader asks him, finally. He's standing by a viewport in the ship, staring into space, something distant on his face.
Skywalker glances over at him. "Yeah. It's hard to believe I'm back here. I don't know if it's permanent."
That... Vader never considered that. "The Force does not indicate that you will leave here. What do you... desire?"
"I... want to stay here," Skywalker admits, looking up at him, "Everything in my reality was lost. I miss Leia and Han, but they'll be happier here than they were there. And I wasn't with then anymore, anyway."
"We will not let this time go the same," Vader replies, determinedly.
Skywalker nods, though Vader doesn't know if he truly believes it. He's lost too much to believe that he can actually have something better permanently. He's too afraid to hope, even if he's imagining it right now. Vader is well-accustomed to that.
"Have you considered... turning back?" Skywalker asks, finally.
Vader pauses. He doesn't like admitting weakness to anyone, and he doesn't want to speak of his problems to his children when he's the one supposed to be taking care of them, but Skywalker is older than he is, even if that makes him no less Vader's child. "I do not know how," he replies.
"What's stopping you?"
"I cannot let go of that which fuels it," he admits. He doesn't know how. And he is a monster – has to be, or Obi-Wan wouldn't have left him. And he wouldn't have hurt his children.
"What does?"
"Anger, hate, fear, any negative emotion," Vader replies.
Skywalker is staring at him, and Vader can feel him touching his Force-presence. "And... guilt," he realizes, "You – I don't know how you were able to in my past, but you did. If it's any help, what you did to Leia and me are something we can forgive you for. But you need to forgive yourself – or at least accept that what you've done in the past doesn't mean you can't change to do better now."
He's going to reply, though he hardly knows what to say to that, when he suddenly senses Sidious. He's been firmly keeping his mind shielded so Sidious can't pick up on any stray thoughts – something his master was always prone to do – but it's different when he can actively feel him reaching through their bond.
And he's angry.
Vader can feel it, every bit of his oily presence vibrating with an electric rage, and he knows what it would likely mean for his fate, if he were in Sidious' presence right now.
"Where have you gone, my apprentice?" he can hear the hiss, even across the entire galaxy, as Sidious claws at his shields, trying to get information on his whereabouts.
Vader struggles against it with everything he has, but it's hard, especially when it's instinctive for him to cave to Sidious' every demand, even access to his mind.
Distantly, he can hear Skywalker calling him and struggles to shut it out entirely. He can't think about –
Stop.
Trying to force all such thoughts from mind, he keeps resisting, but it's definitely proving without question to Sidious that he's betrayed him. Not that it wasn't already obvious.
Vader has no idea how long he's been fighting off the mental attack when Sidious finally pulls back, though not without a final warning through the Force that comes more in terms of feelings than actual words. This isn't the end, and he's going to find him and make him regret every moment of this.
In truth, Vader doesn't doubt it, and the chilling fear it leaves encompassing him whole would leave him shaking if his armor weren't too cumbersome to even allow that anymore. Somewhere along the way he must've ended up on his knees though he doesn't know how.
Skywalker is hovering over him, expression tight.
"Father?" It's Commander this time.
Lifting his head with difficultly – the pounding headache makes it nigh impossible with so much weight, even if he's used to always moving past the pain – he sees the other four are here too.
Luke looks scared, and... actually, they all do, even if it's not as visibly.
"Yes." Talking makes his head hurt worse, too. And now that he just fought off Sidious, it's making the knowledge that he's about to go up against his master seem far more real. And terrifying.
"What happened?" asks Lars, reaching out to uncertainly touch his shoulder, not that Vader can feel it.
"Sidious." Vader should get up, but he doesn't know how stable he'd be standing right now, until the worse pulses of pain fade.
Grandmaster crouches in front of him, expression tight. "He was... attacking your mind?"
"Yes."
"How could he do that?" squeaks Luke.
"How's that possible?" asks Commander.
"Nearly anything can be possible with the Force," Skywalker replies, grimly.
Vader forces himself upright, past the wave of dizziness. He's used to standing when he hardly can. "He seeks to know where I am. We must move quickly, before he takes action."
He can feel their fear and he... shares it. He's still determined, but he's terrified,too. "Is there a way we can block him out?" Lars asks, nervously.
"I am continuing to block him. He... did not see anything."
"But we can't stop him from doing this again?"
"No."
"Are you alright now?" Skywalker asks, uncertainly. "Do you..."
"... Yes." Aside from his head. "This has happened before. I am aware of how to continue blocking him out so he cannot see anything."
"He's done this before?" demands Grandmaster.
"He is my master. I must give him what he desires."
"How does that include your mind?!" Commander demands, voice rising. "This –"
"I... I'm not sure I like Sith better after all," Lars objects, eyes wide with horror.
"The Sith do not have to be this way. My master has always been... severe."
"I think that's an understatement," mutters Lars, looking sick.
"We must make haste," Vader decides finally, looking between the five of them. They and Leia mean everything to him, and he won't let Sidious hurt them. Sidious knows he's plotting, so they'll have to find a way to surprise him. And they'll figure something out, because they have to.
He can feel Obi-Wan lingering nearby again, though his once master doesn't appear. He seems strangely conflicted, though Vader can't really make sense of it. For a fleeting moment, he wonders if Obi-Wan might ever speak to him again with something other than anger, if he would if... Vader turned back. Not that it matters if Anakin never meant anything to him.
And he's doing this for his children now. That's the only thing to stop him from giving into the fear consuming him whole and going back to Sidious. They have to find a way to stop him, and he'll do it with the six of them at his side.