by Forcechild
*
Ben Solo staggered as a sensation of perversion slowly enveloped his entire being. He started to hear Padmay’s thoughts swirling inside his mind. She spoke of doing terrible things with the new Sith Lord, sexual things that thoroughly revolted him. He’d no idea she even knew what these words meant, much less willingly perform them. Indecent images began to appear in his mind’s eye. He tried to block the vile images out, but failed to do so.
Ben then heard the Sith Lord’s cruel laughter. When it finally ceased, he said, “Your sister has done all those things with me Ben. She’s done that and much more. She’s given herself to me completely, body and soul. She now cleaves to me as my wife.” He laughed maliciously again before saying, “Need I mention that your twin has joined me on the Dark Side of the Force? She’s sworn her allegiance to the Sith.”
Ben felt the man’s smug satisfaction as he happily relayed this information. It felt as if his heart was being ripped from his chest. Falling to his knees, Ben screamed out in pure anguish, “NO! Not my sister! Why Padmay? Why?”
Chapter Nineteen
- Forgiveness -
Padme and Luke brought Leia back to the Temple quite a while ago, but she just couldn’t bring herself to face her father. She was still terrified of Darth Vader. They both assured Leia that Anakin was no longer that vile individual, but they couldn’t convince her. Padme went to her husband and told him their daughter still refused to see him.
“Did you tell her about her children? Does she realize the danger they both face if I can’t persuade her to forgive me?”
“Yes, but I don’t think Leia understands the situation fully. Her fear of you is blocking everything else out.”
“Then I have no choice but to force the issue.”
“She’ll come around eventually Ani. She just needs more coaxing.”
“We don’t have the luxury of time. I’ll do what I must to convince her,” Anakin stated sadly. He turned and started towards the forest where Han had set up camp.
Padme called out to him, “Be gentle with her Ani.”
Anakin’s disappointment over Leia’s refusal to see him instantly dissolved at the sound of Padme’s voice. He halted and looked back. “Don’t fret my love. I’ll be as chivalrous as I can be.”
Padme smiled. “Then I’ll cast all my worries aside. You’ve a way with words Anakin Skywalker. You swept me completely off my feet.”
“No. It was you who swept me off mine. You stole my heart the instant I saw you.”
“We were meant for each other Ani. Now, and throughout eternity.”
A huge grin spread across the Chosen One’s face. “Yes Padme. No matter what happens in the near future, that thought eases my mind greatly.” He turned from her again and proceeded into the woods.
As soon Anakin neared their encampment, Han Solo stepped in front of him blocking the
path. “Who are you?” he asked.
“You don’t recognize me as I appear now Han, but I’m Leia’s father.”
“You’re Vader?” Han asked in shock, not believing the young man who stood before him was the same vicious person who’d caused so much misery.
“Yes. I’m sorry you still think of me that way. Darth Vader was a part of my past. I know you still regard me as that monster, but it has no bearing on the situation now. Please let me pass. I must speak with my daughter.”
“She doesn’t want to see you.”
“I realize that, but she has to.”
“You’ll have to go through me,” Han announced boldly, still not believing this person was who he claimed to be. It wasn’t possible. Vader died an old man, while this man was young.
“If there was any other way to remedy the situation, I wouldn’t ask, but I’ve no choice in the matter. Your children’s lives are at stake. Do you want to see them die? Do you want to see them both turned to the Dark Side as I was? It’s already happened. Padmay has been seduced by a new Sith Lord who’s extraordinarily powerful. He won’t use her just to achieve his goals. He’ll kill her when she’s no longer useful. He’ll destroy her soul as well. She’ll end up in hell, just as I would have if not for Luke. So will Ben if he’s turned. Do you understand why it’s so important for me to speak to Leia? I have to see her. If not, I won’t be able to save either one of your children.”
“We’ve tried to get her to see you, but she refused, and still does.”
“Have you really tried Han? Have you made a serious effort? You both have every right to hate me, with good cause. I don’t blame you for being obstinate, but I’m certain she’ll listen to you. If you care for your children at all, you must convince Leia to see me.”
“Don’t you dare insinuate that I don’t care about my children! I’d do anything to protect them, but you don’t know how stubborn Leia is. She’s made up her mind. No matter what anyone
says, it won’t alter her decision. She won’t budge an inch. I’ve never been able to get her to see things my way. Besides, I don’t want to change her mind. I won’t force my wife to see you. She despises you and so do I.”
“Then it appears I’ll have to force the issue.”
“You’ll still have to go through me.”
“I know,” Anakin sighed. “I’m sorry for having to resort to this. I hope you’ll forgive me.” The Chosen One raised his hand slightly. Han rose up in the air and dangled as if he were a marionette. Anakin then moved the startled man aside, gently lowering him to the ground. Han sat in stunned silence. He didn’t try to stop Anakin as he passed.
*
“Has he left yet?” Leia asked as she turned expecting to see her husband.
“No, “he” hasn’t.”
“You! Stay away from me. I don’t want to see you.” Leia spun away from her father and cowered in fear.
“I can’t Leia. We have to speak. I need your forgiveness. I can’t and won’t leave without it. Your children’s lives depend on it.”
Leia spat out, “How dare you intrude upon this encampment expecting forgiveness for all you’ve done!”
“I realize it’s extremely presumptuous of me, but it’s very important that we speak Leia. At least hear me out.”
“I’ve no desire to listen to you.”
“I realize that, but you don’t have a choice if you want to save your children. I understand your reasons for not wanting to see me, much less find it in your heart to absolve me, but you’ve got to understand that I had no control of myself while under the influence of the Dark Side. Yes, I tortured you on the Death Star, yet it wasn’t me. It was Darth Vader, but that’s not who I am now. It was the vengeful part of my soul that made you watch the people you loved die on Alderaan. I can never excuse the atrocities I’ve committed against you and so many others. I didn’t know you were my daughter at the time. Even if I had known it wouldn’t have made any difference. My existence revolved around serving my Master, as well as my uncontrollable desire to exact revenge against the Jedi. I was blinded by rage.”
Anakin paused. He took a deep breath before continuing, knowing his explanation would be difficult for his daughter to accept. “I’m ashamed to have to admit it, but it was fairly easy for Palpatine to seduce me to the Dark Side. I was weak and allowed it to happen. I feared for your mother’s life and he used my fear to turn me. Saving her was the main reason I turned, but I also hungered for power. You’d know this if you’d allowed Luke to transfer my life experiences to you when he offered.”
“Allow your vile thoughts inside my head? Absolutely not! I would’ve rather been thrown into a sarlacc pit. I hated you then and I still do.”
“I know,” Anakin sighed. Ignoring the stab to his heart her hatred caused, he continued. “When I became a Sith Lord Anakin Skywalker ceased to exist. I did whatever Palpatine wanted. I’m no longer that vile beast Leia, but the evil inside Darth Vader survived. The dark half of my soul has been reincarnated into another vicious Sith Lord. He’s already seduced Padmay. He’s turned her to the Dark
Side. He’s attempting to turn your son as we speak. I need you to absolve me in order to save their lives. Nay, their very souls.”
“Forgive you? How can you expect me to forgive an evil monster like you?”
“You’ll have to if you want to save your children. My dark half will destroy them if you don’t.”
“What do you mean, your dark half?”
“The evil part of my soul, Dark Vader, has been reincarnated into a new Sith Lord.”
“Reincarnation is a myth.”
“I’m afraid it isn’t. At least, not for a soul who was not born of man.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“The midi-chlorians created me. I’m the Chosen One. Unfortunately, I’m not the only life they created. They created Darth Sidious as well. Darth Sidious was Emperor Palpatine.”
“I know. Luke told me that. But why would the midi-chlorians create a Sith Lord? They aren’t evil.”
“An old Sith Lord by the name of Darth Plagueis fooled them into creating a life for him. He played on their emotions, claiming to be unable to impregnate a woman. He pretended to be a good person, blocking his true character by means of the Dark Arts. Not aware how evil Plagueis was they’d agreed. They created a child endowed with extraordinary abilities. When they realized Plagueis was a Sith Lord, the midi-chlorians had no choice but to correct their error. The only way they could was to create another life that contained abilities that would equal Palpatine’s. That’s the only reason I was born. In order to cancel out the midi-chlorians’ mistake.”
“Palpatine is dead. What harm can he do?”
“More than you realize Leia. His clone is more powerful than Palpatine or Darth Vader alone. He’s a combination of the two.”
“Palpatine’s clone? I thought..., What do you mean? You’re confusing me.”
“You’re well aware that we’re all born with a good and bad side to our souls. My soul was divided when Palpatine turned me to the Dark Side. He merged his mind with mine when I was near death on Mustafar. I was never aware he’d done it. Maybe if I had known I might’ve been able to prevent this current abomination from being reincarnated.”
“I told you before. I don’t believe in reincarnation,” Leia repeated.
“Some say that there’s no such thing as the Netherworld. Does that mean it doesn’t exist? We’re here, aren’t we? Granted, not everyone has the ability to reincarnate, but some souls have been reborn. A few Jedi are immortal and can breach the boundaries between the living and the dead.”
“You really expect me to believe that?”
“I don’t expect you to believe anything I’ve said up to now, but if you let me continue I’m certain you will.”
“Alright. You’ve piqued my curiosity, but I hope you realize that a lengthy explanation won’t convince me that reincarnation is possible, nor will it change my mind about forgiving you.”
“Point taken. Now, please be quiet while I continue.”
“How can I keep you from rambling on? You’re the Chosen One, aren’t you? Can’t you force me shut up?” She asked snidely.
“Don’t tempt me daughter. I may have resort to that in order to get you to listen.”
Leia didn’t respond. She sat down on a stool and looked up at him wide-eyed. She appeared as if a child waiting to hear an outlandish fairy tale.
“Now that I’ve got your full attention I’ll continue. Emperor Palpatine learned how to cheat death by transferring his essence into me. He planned on destroying my mind and then taking possession of my body when his grew to weak. Palpatine always had back-up plans. Not knowing for certain if either of us would survive, he took my blood with the intention creating a clone that contained his memories. The clone he created is the new Sith Lord, but he’s more than a mere clone. Every thought, every memory, every experience, as well as our powers has been passed on to the new Sith Lord. In that respect, Darth Vader has been reincarnated.”
Leia was more perplexed than ever. “Even if true, what has any of this to do with me?”
Anakin continued. “This malignancy wants to turn both of your children to the Dark Side. If he can turn both of them they’ll be no stopping him. He wants to restore Palpatine’s tyrannical empire. He’s already manufactured another Death Star that’s traveling through the galaxy leaving death in its wake. Billions of lives have been lost already. Billions more are at stake. I cannot allow this to continue. The only way I can stop this abomination is with your help.”
“What do you expect me to do about it?”
“Absolve me. That’s all you need do. Then I’ll be able to confront him.”
“Never!”
“Leia. You don’t understand how important this is. The entire galaxy’s fate depends on stopping this madman. He’s already turned Padmay to the Dark Side. That bastard has awakened her sexual appetite and used that as his tool to turn her. He’s made her believe that she’s my wife reborn. Your own mother. Padmay has fallen completely under his spell. She’ll do anything he asks of her. She’ll even kill Ben if he can’t be turned. Do you want Padmay to murder her own brother? She will you know. She’ll die for her Master just as I would have.”
“That’s a lie! Padmay would never kill Ben!”
“She will if her Master commands it. His hold over Padmay is that strong. You don’t know the true power of the Dark Side. All you ever knew was your fear of me. You still fear me, though there’s no reason for it. You have to overcome your fear. I need your forgiveness in order to help your children. Please Leia. Embrace me. You’ll see that the evil that once existed inside my soul is gone for good. Look into my eyes. See your father for the first time. See me for who I truly am. I am begging you. Please absolve me. Do it for Padmay.”
“I can’t,” Leia sobbed as she spun around on the stool. She couldn’t bear to look upon her father’s face a second longer, especially after he said his evil half had corrupted her daughter. Oh how she hated this vile creature!
“Please Leia. I implore you. Turn around and look at me.”
“No. I’ll never forgive you. You’re a monster. I hate you!”
“Please look at me,” Anakin quietly repeated.
Leia turned and looked up at her father. She couldn’t stop herself. He’d willed it. Her brows suddenly wrinkled as she wondered, is this really the man she’d hated and feared all her life? This being was Darth Vader, yet he appeared to be nothing like him. This man claimed that Vader was reborn in another evil being. Was it really possible for one’s soul to become divided into two separate entities? Her mother told her that Anakin’s soul split when he became Darth Vader. Of course, Padme was blinded by her love and would believe anything he told her. Leia was positive that reincarnation wasn’t possible, nor being able pass on one’s essence into another person.
Another thing that disturbed her was Luke’s belief that Darth Vader killed Emperor Palpatine. She hadn’t believed him. She thought Luke had twisted the truth for some unknown reason. On the other hand, if he hadn’t distorted the facts, perhaps Vader had saved his life. If so, Anakin could be telling her the truth. His good half could’ve survived inside Vader’s core, if only just a speck of decency remained.
Looking into her father’s eyes, she realized that the entity that stood before her couldn’t be Darth Vader. It wasn’t possible. This man was beautiful. She’d never thought of a man as being beautiful before, but the Chosen One was. There was an inner beauty that fully enveloped him. Everything about this figure radiated compassion and honesty. Leia couldn’t deny that she felt an unlimited amount of love flow from him. Love for her, and for every life form in the universe.
Anakin smiled, knowing what she was thinking. A glow of light started to surround his body. The whole encampment from the lowest blade of grass, to the tips of the tallest trees lit up. Leia felt an incredible amount of warmth radiate towards her. The Chosen One held out his arms. Leia felt compelled to be embraced by that warmth. She couldn’t prevent herself f
rom running into her father’s outstretched arms. When they embraced, Leia’s heart leapt to her throat. She felt as if a deep wound was finally mended. She started to weep in joy.
“Don’t cry my darling. I’ve waited for this moment for what seems an eternity. You can’t imagine how happy you have made me. You’ve eased the guilt I’ve felt for making you suffer while Darth Vader.”
“How can you be that evil monster? You’re nothing like Darth Vader. I sense nothing but good inside you.”
“I’m not the same person I was then Leia. I was redeemed when I saved Luke. He forgave me. I only hope you have it in your heart to forgive me as well.”
“Yes father. I forgive you, but can you forgive me for being so blind and stubborn?” Leia held on to her father tightly. She never wanted to let him go. The love she felt penetrated deep into her soul.
“There’s nothing to forgive Leia. Although, I have to admit you’ve inherited a stubborn streak from your parents. We tend to share that trait.”
“It almost prevented me from seeing you as you really are father.”
“Nevertheless, you did open your heart. Your generosity of spirit has released me of my sin against you. I can’t thank you enough. I wish we could stay in each other’s arms. There’s nothing I’d like better. Unfortunately, I’ve no time to waste. There’s more that needs to be done before I confront the new Sith Lord.”
“I fear for your safety.”
Anakin chuckled. “I’m sorry my dear. I don’t mean to make light of your statement, but what can possibly happen? I’m already dead.” Then his face grew serious. “I won’t deny that there is some danger. I haven’t faced the Dark Side in quite a while. I could be tempted again. The abomination I’m about to face does possess the same abilities I have. It does present a slight problem. Regardless, I intend to do everything within my power to save your children. You have my word.”
“I can’t ask more than that. I’ll pray with all my heart that you defeat the vile beast who’s turned my child to him. You’re my only hope.”
*
Han, Luke and Padme were waiting at the edge of the forest when Anakin and Leia emerged through the trees. Padme noticed that Anakin was holding Leia’s hand. Seeing the expression of joy on his face she said, “You don’t have to say it Ani. It’s quite apparent that you have our daughter’s absolution.”
