Following a Dream, Star Wars, Luke Skywalker, Darth Vader, Rated PG
Title: Following a Dream
Author: vaders_ghost
Fandom: Star Wars
Characters: Luke Skywalker, Darth Vader
Rating: Rated PG
Disclaimers: This is a work of fanfiction, I do not own or claim these characters.
Following a Dream
He walked through the city, watching its hustle and bustle around him. As cities went it really wasn't so bad. Many of the buildings were old, settled comfortably along the streets. Trees and other green plants grew here and there along landscaped homes and businesses. The city sat against a forest and far beyond them white-topped mountains peeked out from their cloudy rings. People went about their daily lives, going to and fro, to work, to eat, back to home once again to start the cycle over the next day. It really was such an ordinary place. Very different from where he'd grown up though with its rainy days and paved streets. The day had begun with dark clouds and a cool wind blew, bringing with it the smell of the sea that lay to the west of the city.
You're chasing a ghost. A figment of your imagination. He's not here. He's never been here.
Luke sighed as the irritating voice whispered in his head. Whether it was his concience, the Force, or an imaginary friend, he really did not care. He had to do this. He had to see this through or he would forever wonder. He took a left, tracing a route that was now familiar after four days. Perhaps he'd be lucky today as he had almost been on the first day. The first day when he'd caught a glimpse of the man he'd come looking for. The man that could not be here because that particular man did not exist anymore. He'd been replaced by...by...what? A monster? That was what Luke would have once said. Before he knew the truth.
I...am your father...
Approaching the end of the block, his eyes on the tall, shuttered old house, Luke felt his pulse quicken as he spotted the man who was striding purposefully out its gate. Luke quickened his pace just enough that he could keep the man within sight. Luke had hidden himself in the Force and felt confident the man would not notice him. They wound through the streets, dodging delivery vehicles and venders. Reaching a square white building, Luke's prey entered unhesitantly, and the door closed firmly behind him. Luke stopped uncertainly, then spotted some benches across the street. He hurried across, dodging traffic, and seated himself on one, wishing he'd thought to bring something he could pretend to read or work on but he was empty-handed.
Minutes passed slowly into an hour as Luke tried to relax, tried to meditate. It still did not come as naturally as he would have liked for it to. He had always felt a need for action, to be busy doing something, especially since joining the Alliance. A tendril of guilt eased itself around his heart. He really was pushing them to the limit with his continued absenses. They wanted...they needed...his leadership. But here he was, chasing a ghost.
He laughed silently to himself. Foolishness. That's what Uncle Owen would have called it. Luke's overdeveloped imagination working overtime. Here he was on a planet he'd never heard of before, stalking its streets after a nameless man. A man to whom he had thought he had reason for attaching the title of father to. He closed his eyes briefly. It was ridiculous. Vader wasn't here. Why would he be? He was on his star destroyer, preparing to annihilate the next rebel base he came across. Or perhaps he was on Coruscant, among the Emperor's admirers. Instead of with me. But then he'd never been with me, had he. Luke swallowed the bitter thoughts.
After what seemed a long time the man came out of the building and turned to his right and back in the direction from which he'd originally traveled. Luke sighed, staring after him a moment, and reluctantly pushed to his feet. He jammed his hands in his pockets and stood there a moment, reliving the past few days in his mind and coming to the conclusion that he had been much too accepting of the dubious information that had brought him to this place.
Join me...
Luke laughed hollowly. He was still the naive kid who wanted to know his father. Only instead of the father he'd imagined...dreamed about...he got a Dark Lord. What the heck could you do with a father who was a Sith. Especially when you weren't quite sure exactly what a Sith was besides being the dreaded enemy of a Jedi. Which he was now suppose to be.
Luke shook his head, feeling an odd sense of bemusement at his own folly, and ran lightly across the street, his eyes searching for and finding in the distance the now familiar dark figure. He narrowed the distance between them gradually, looking doubtfully up at the dark clouds forming. It sure did rain a lot here. The man was probably a businessman, a banker or an executive for some important company. He dressed well enough, Luke could tell that much by the cut of his clothing. And the house he stayed at, though old, looked expensive to maintain.
Perhaps he could introduce himself to the man. Prove to himself that he was indeed on a wild goose chase so he could get back to where he belonged, though what explanation he could give Leia and the others for being gone so long he hadn't decided upon yet. Focusing on the man's back again, he quickened his pace. It would be better to stop him before he reached the gate to his residence. Easier to come up with something without any witnesses. Luke thought perhaps he could ask the man for directions or maybe pretend he had mistaken him for someone else which was very nearly the truth...
Luke rounded the corner and came to a dead stop, heart suddenly thumping uncomfortably in his chest. The man stood silent and still in a darkened corner of the stone wall that bordered the sidewalk. Watching...no...waiting...for Luke. Luke felt a moment's irritation at his own apparent lack of skill. He must have been very careless if the man had spotted him so easily. He opened his mouth to deny...to explain...to this stanger why he was following him but was stopped by the man's words.
"Who are you?"
His voice was hoarse though not displeasing. His accent teased at Luke's memory though he was sure he'd never heard the voice before. The wind had picked up and leaves bounced along the sidewalk to whirl and scatter out into the street. Luke took a deep breath and found his voice though his mind was still processing the fact that the man had somehow turned the situation in a different direction than Luke had intended it to go.
"I'm sorry...it's my mistake. I thought..."
Luke stopped in midsentence and the hairs on the back of his neck prickled and it seemed as though the air was suddenly still and heavy with some ominous warning. The man had jerked slightly as Luke had spoken and one gloved hand had slid inside his heavy cloak.
The man watched him warily, head tilted slightly to the side. Luke felt the faintest of touches skim over him, leaving him hot and cold at the same time and causing his heart to hammer in his chest as it had not done since Bespin. He must have...must have...stumbled onto something...the man was obviously hiding and Luke had disturbed him because it was not possible...could not be...that Luke had been right all along. But he recognized my voice...I know he did...and that touch...
Luke took a slow step back and the man watched him. And waited. The wind blew, teasing at Luke's clothing, tugging and whispering at him. He felt as though he was on the edge of a precipice and one wrong movement, one careless word, could shatter everything.
The man stepped forward finally, as Luke felt the first mist of rain brush across his bare face. The man's eyes...very blue above the cowl he wore over his face, as blue as Luke knew his own to be...slid over his face, narrowing a little.
"Luke..."
Author: vaders_ghost
Fandom: Star Wars
Characters: Luke Skywalker, Darth Vader
Rating: Rated PG
Disclaimers: This is a work of fanfiction, I do not own or claim these characters.
Following a Dream
He walked through the city, watching its hustle and bustle around him. As cities went it really wasn't so bad. Many of the buildings were old, settled comfortably along the streets. Trees and other green plants grew here and there along landscaped homes and businesses. The city sat against a forest and far beyond them white-topped mountains peeked out from their cloudy rings. People went about their daily lives, going to and fro, to work, to eat, back to home once again to start the cycle over the next day. It really was such an ordinary place. Very different from where he'd grown up though with its rainy days and paved streets. The day had begun with dark clouds and a cool wind blew, bringing with it the smell of the sea that lay to the west of the city.
You're chasing a ghost. A figment of your imagination. He's not here. He's never been here.
Luke sighed as the irritating voice whispered in his head. Whether it was his concience, the Force, or an imaginary friend, he really did not care. He had to do this. He had to see this through or he would forever wonder. He took a left, tracing a route that was now familiar after four days. Perhaps he'd be lucky today as he had almost been on the first day. The first day when he'd caught a glimpse of the man he'd come looking for. The man that could not be here because that particular man did not exist anymore. He'd been replaced by...by...what? A monster? That was what Luke would have once said. Before he knew the truth.
I...am your father...
Approaching the end of the block, his eyes on the tall, shuttered old house, Luke felt his pulse quicken as he spotted the man who was striding purposefully out its gate. Luke quickened his pace just enough that he could keep the man within sight. Luke had hidden himself in the Force and felt confident the man would not notice him. They wound through the streets, dodging delivery vehicles and venders. Reaching a square white building, Luke's prey entered unhesitantly, and the door closed firmly behind him. Luke stopped uncertainly, then spotted some benches across the street. He hurried across, dodging traffic, and seated himself on one, wishing he'd thought to bring something he could pretend to read or work on but he was empty-handed.
Minutes passed slowly into an hour as Luke tried to relax, tried to meditate. It still did not come as naturally as he would have liked for it to. He had always felt a need for action, to be busy doing something, especially since joining the Alliance. A tendril of guilt eased itself around his heart. He really was pushing them to the limit with his continued absenses. They wanted...they needed...his leadership. But here he was, chasing a ghost.
He laughed silently to himself. Foolishness. That's what Uncle Owen would have called it. Luke's overdeveloped imagination working overtime. Here he was on a planet he'd never heard of before, stalking its streets after a nameless man. A man to whom he had thought he had reason for attaching the title of father to. He closed his eyes briefly. It was ridiculous. Vader wasn't here. Why would he be? He was on his star destroyer, preparing to annihilate the next rebel base he came across. Or perhaps he was on Coruscant, among the Emperor's admirers. Instead of with me. But then he'd never been with me, had he. Luke swallowed the bitter thoughts.
After what seemed a long time the man came out of the building and turned to his right and back in the direction from which he'd originally traveled. Luke sighed, staring after him a moment, and reluctantly pushed to his feet. He jammed his hands in his pockets and stood there a moment, reliving the past few days in his mind and coming to the conclusion that he had been much too accepting of the dubious information that had brought him to this place.
Join me...
Luke laughed hollowly. He was still the naive kid who wanted to know his father. Only instead of the father he'd imagined...dreamed about...he got a Dark Lord. What the heck could you do with a father who was a Sith. Especially when you weren't quite sure exactly what a Sith was besides being the dreaded enemy of a Jedi. Which he was now suppose to be.
Luke shook his head, feeling an odd sense of bemusement at his own folly, and ran lightly across the street, his eyes searching for and finding in the distance the now familiar dark figure. He narrowed the distance between them gradually, looking doubtfully up at the dark clouds forming. It sure did rain a lot here. The man was probably a businessman, a banker or an executive for some important company. He dressed well enough, Luke could tell that much by the cut of his clothing. And the house he stayed at, though old, looked expensive to maintain.
Perhaps he could introduce himself to the man. Prove to himself that he was indeed on a wild goose chase so he could get back to where he belonged, though what explanation he could give Leia and the others for being gone so long he hadn't decided upon yet. Focusing on the man's back again, he quickened his pace. It would be better to stop him before he reached the gate to his residence. Easier to come up with something without any witnesses. Luke thought perhaps he could ask the man for directions or maybe pretend he had mistaken him for someone else which was very nearly the truth...
Luke rounded the corner and came to a dead stop, heart suddenly thumping uncomfortably in his chest. The man stood silent and still in a darkened corner of the stone wall that bordered the sidewalk. Watching...no...waiting...for Luke. Luke felt a moment's irritation at his own apparent lack of skill. He must have been very careless if the man had spotted him so easily. He opened his mouth to deny...to explain...to this stanger why he was following him but was stopped by the man's words.
"Who are you?"
His voice was hoarse though not displeasing. His accent teased at Luke's memory though he was sure he'd never heard the voice before. The wind had picked up and leaves bounced along the sidewalk to whirl and scatter out into the street. Luke took a deep breath and found his voice though his mind was still processing the fact that the man had somehow turned the situation in a different direction than Luke had intended it to go.
"I'm sorry...it's my mistake. I thought..."
Luke stopped in midsentence and the hairs on the back of his neck prickled and it seemed as though the air was suddenly still and heavy with some ominous warning. The man had jerked slightly as Luke had spoken and one gloved hand had slid inside his heavy cloak.
The man watched him warily, head tilted slightly to the side. Luke felt the faintest of touches skim over him, leaving him hot and cold at the same time and causing his heart to hammer in his chest as it had not done since Bespin. He must have...must have...stumbled onto something...the man was obviously hiding and Luke had disturbed him because it was not possible...could not be...that Luke had been right all along. But he recognized my voice...I know he did...and that touch...
Luke took a slow step back and the man watched him. And waited. The wind blew, teasing at Luke's clothing, tugging and whispering at him. He felt as though he was on the edge of a precipice and one wrong movement, one careless word, could shatter everything.
The man stepped forward finally, as Luke felt the first mist of rain brush across his bare face. The man's eyes...very blue above the cowl he wore over his face, as blue as Luke knew his own to be...slid over his face, narrowing a little.
"Luke..."