Star Crossed Fanfic

[Captain Cyran]

The Mara taking so much punishment before finally falling was quite a bit out there and had me annoyed. But beyond that I loved it. I could just picture that whole Luke getting his lightsaber back scene in my head. And it looked so damn cool.

[Shroom Man 777]

We need to make a graven image of Stravo! I'm serious!

[Ghost Rider]

Great cliffhanger with Kirk and the fleet actions.

Now let's see Vader.

[2000AD]

We need to make a graven image of Stravo! I'm serious!

nah, graven image of Chuck first then maybe Stravo (if we've got funds left)

And 100 pages, that's gotta be some sort of record!

[darthdavid]

I can't believe it took me this long to see the newest update. Damn it.

[Trytostaydead]

We need to make a graven image of Stravo! I'm serious!

Graven images or comely lasses of virtue true?

[FireNexus]

Two years, 78 chapters, and one hundred pages in the forum later, and the story still isn't done. Wow. This thing is LOOOOOOOOOOOONG. Why'd you have to suck me in Stravo?

(I'm just kidding. Thanks for this. It rules. Seriously.)

[Comosicus]

Two chapters in a matter of days. What can a man want more?

From what I can see it looks like Luke is planning to have Kirk aside in his fight against Thrawn. Things are getting hotter and hotter.

[Pcm979]

I'm still upset about Fett.

[Mr Bean]

Damn my needs of sleep!, must read now

*Wew... damn still going strong.... and come to think of it, whatever happen to Fett its been so long I'm starting t forget parts of the story

[Pcm979]

He got Pwned by another subterrainian beast, remember? The one that hunts by sound? The man has no luck.

[Crazedwraith]

Damn my needs of sleep!, must read now

*Wew... damn still going strong.... and come to think of it, whatever happen to Fett its been so long I'm starting t forget parts of the story

He got knocked into a bottomless casm by the corsape of a gaint slug IIRC.

It happened Just before Nememisis and Kirk hand their brawl and Darkstar kidnapped Luke...

[Shroom Man 777]

Can't Fett come back and kick everyone's ass?

[Stravo]

Now this has to be some sort of record. Three chapters in about as many days and this one is the longest yet...but never fear. The arc is finally over and you can enjoy a sneak peak at one many have been wondering about Vader and Luke and how they will react when they see each other. I'm very happy with how this one finally ended. Please enjoy.



Chapter 79: The Fall of the House of Darkstar Part 3



“Are we clear?” Wedge asked.

“We’re with you boss.”

The Rogues formed up around Wedge and they raced in a tight formation towards the last set of transmitters.

“Those guns are tracking us.”

“We only need to stay in formation for a few more seconds.”

“Here they come boss!” Hobbie exclaimed looking up at the sky and seeing the rain of white missiles streaking down towards them.

“Rogues break!” Wedge shouted and the X-Wings suddenly burst away from each other in a starburst pattern as the missiles blindly laid their payload out in a saturation bombing of the area in the vain hopes of bringing down the X-Wings. Instead the missiles managed to destroy the final set of transmitters in a storm of fire that washed around the installation and gun emplacements.

“Rogues this is the Sagan. All transport scramblers are down! Repeat they are all down. We’re getting clear locks on the team.”

“Sagan this is Rogue Leader, I’ve got a man down. Please initiate recovery operations ASAP.”

“Roger that Rogue Leader. The cavalry is on the way. I would get the hell out of Dodge.”

“Already on our way out.”

“Here come the big boys.” Jansen added as the X-Wings raced away from the palace leaving it behind as they soared into orbit. The air shimmered around them and ships suddenly appeared around them, diving past the X-Wings towards the palace complex they were leaving behind. The predatory shape of the Klingon Bird of preys swept past the X-Wings and began firing their disruptors at the palace and the Imperial landers clustered around it.

One of the Bird of Preys peeled away from the pack and swept in close to the downed X-Wing. A tractor beam lanced down and gently picked up the fallen X-Wing and tucked it in under its belly while the pilot was quickly beamed up.

The last Wedge saw before the stars suddenly appeared on his canopy was part of the palace collapsing as a Bird of Prey passed over it firing a steady stream of disruptor fire into it.

“Nothing pretty ever lasts in these wars.” Wedge muttered.

“What was that boss?”

“Set up for escort of the Sagan and prepare for the jump to light speed.” Wedge ordered as he snapped out of his reverie.




“Artoo! We’re doomed!” Threepio exclaimed as the stormtroopers trained their blasters on them. The control room’s door was blasted off its track and the technicians that had been in hiding with the droids were either dead or on their knees, hands on the back of their heads.

“Droids. What are they doing here?”

Artoo squawked something bitter at the troopers.

“I must say this is unnecessary.” Threepio protested.

“Take them for questioning. Lord Vader might find this interesting.”

Threepio felt odd for a moment, as if his circuits had skipped a beat then suddenly the stormtroopers were replaced by the kind faces of Sagan transporter engineers.

“Are you guys alright?”

“I’ve forgotten how much I hate transport travel.” Threepio lamented. Artoo beeped happily as he rolled off the transporter pad.




Leia rushed out to the main control room in time to catch Darkstar and Kirk struggling like two wrestlers, each grasping for the other’s limbs, fingers clawing for eyes or looking for an opening to hook on to. Kirk swung Darkstar over his hip but the crime lord managed to hold on to Kirk and dragged him awkwardly down to the floor with him where they proceeded to roll together into the next room.

She saw the Jem’Hedar staring dumbly at the fight.

“Do something!” She called out to them.

They remained stoically watching it.

She sighed in frustration and charged into the room after them just as the entire bunker moaned and screeched louder than ever before. The bunker titled madly forward until they were all nearly tumbling out of the ruined back of the control room.

Kirk and Darkstar were on the very precipice leading down to the chasm below, punching, kicking and Leia swore she saw Darkstar biting Kirk.

“Jim! We have to get out of here now!”

Kirk grunted and spun his body clockwise then counter-clockwise as quickly as he could and the crime lord was shaken loose for a moment. Kirk used his legs and shoved him up and off of him. Darkstar tumbled backwards as gravity did its work and pulled anything down towards it. Darkstar’s arms flailed as he tried to catch anything to stop his fall.

Kirk scampered up towards the door and Leia’s outstretched hand. He caught her wrist and began to pull himself up and out of the room as tables and chairs swept down and out of the room back down into the abyss below.

Darkstar snarled like an animal and launched himself forward with a Herculean effort and snatched Kirk’s left ankle in a death grip. Kirk exclaimed in surprise and was pulled off his feet to fall on the floor, Darkstar’s weight pulling on him like a stone.

Darkstar grinned like a mad man and laughed heartily as he held on to Kirk’s ankle then swung his weight forward on more time to catch Kirk’s left calf with his free hand.

“You’re not going anywhere Kirk!”

Leia grunted as she held on to Kirk and Darkstar’s weight with both hands. Her legs were splayed open and hooked into the sides of the door for support. She pulled back her head and grunted with the effort of holding on to him with all her strength.

“I’m not letting you go!” she shouted breathlessly.

Kirk looked up at her and saw her face flushed with effort, temples throbbing and looked back down at his leg with Darkstar’s face frozen in a mask of maniacal fury and joy. One eye a ruined bloody hole the other blazing into him with a horrid intensity.




“You’re telling me this was all for nothing?!” Sulu exclaimed in outrage.

“No, if you listened more closely I said that these reactors are counterfeits.” Spock explained as he flung the last one off the table not bothering to watch it tumble out into the chasm below.

“But then—”

“There is a secret compartment beneath these.”

Luke wordlessly swept Mara into his arms and lifted her into his chest. He regarded to two Starfleet officers for a moment. Anastasia rushed into view and paused at the doorway as she saw how Luke was holding the woman in his arms.

“Luke, your people have finished their retreat up the bridge. The Imperial forces are almost here and they have something leading them. I’ve never seen his like before.” She warned.

Luke nodded.

“You two.”

Spock and Sulu glanced over at Luke.

“Take what you can and get out of here now. Lord Vader will have no mercy upon any of you if he catches you.” Luke stated then without waiting for a reply swept out of the room with Mara in his arms.

“I did it all for you.” She whispered in a fevered voice into his chest.

“I know you did.” Luke soothed.

“We have little choice it seems.” Spock commented then flipped open the communicator.

“Spock to Sagan.”

“Sagan here, Mr. Spock. It’s great to hear your voice.”

“Beam up the object at my coordinates. Immediately.”

“Understood.”

“Spock to Millennium Falcon.”

“I see you Mr. Spock.” Tom Paris replied waving from the cockpit.

“Engage hostiles coming across the bridge. We need a little more time.”

“Understood.” Tom worked some controls out of Spock’s sight. A volley of bright crimson blasts spat out from beneath the Falcon towards the bridge. Spock eyed Sulu who was battered and bruised.

“Beam Mr. Sulu up, maintain a lock on me until I can find the Captain.”

“Affirmative.”

Sulu’s eyes widened.

“Wait a minute Spock I---” Sulu vanished in a column of light/

“Spock this is the Sagan. We’ve beamed your object up and Mr. Scott and Dr. McCoy as well.”

“Sagan prepare to break away from the planet. I will make sure the Captain and I get away on the Millennium Falcon. Oh, and the Captain wanted to make sure no one forgot about the droids.”

“Don’t worry, Mr. Spock. They’re safely aboard but we’re not leaving without you.”

“You will follow the Captain’s orders Sagan. You have the hypermatter reactors onboard. The mission is a failure if we cannot return that technology back to Avalon.”

Entebbe sighed heavily on the communicator.

“Understood. Sagan out.”

Spock was never surprised by the human need to cling to the irrational when confronted with difficult choices. Now he had to find the Captain. This Darth Vader, if he was anything like the man Nemesis used to be would be a difficult foe to face at the moment.



Vader watched the first sortie of his men onto the bridge scream and tumble away off the sides as bright crimson bolts swept out from the side out of view and struck his men with unerring accuracy.

“We’re receiving heavy fire from a tramp freighter on the far side of the reactor, my lord. I’ve called for an E-Web cannon. We should be receiving it in a matter of moments.” His commander explained.

Vader watched his men trying to break past the heavy fire, several lying prone and firing at the tramp freighter while simultaneously dealing with the Imperium troops they had chased out of this chamber moments ago who were setting up a defensive position on the other end of the bridge and were pouring a murderous fusillade down the bridge back at his men.

He spied the first Imperium Lander as it roared overhead and quickly took up a position on the edge of the walkway ringing the reactor.

“We don’t have the time commander. Have your men follow me in a tight formation. We will only get one chance at this.”

“Understood my lord.” The stormtrooper commander waved to the rest of the platoon. “Form up on Lord Vader and follow him. We do not stop no matter what.”

Vader ignited his lightsaber and centered on his anger, his frustration his fury at the betrayal of his son. All that he had worked for and suffered, the struggle, the constant feuding and infighting. The death that swam around him like a sea of blood and offal, would he ever finally rise above it all as the master of his own destiny?

If his son had only listened to him things would be different. Thrawn would be neutralized and the Emperor would be facing the combined might of two of his greatest fleets and the most powerful Sith to have ever existed.

Instead his son’s pitiful calm and laughable serenity was an affront to him.

“The boy needs discipline and he shall have it.” Vader growled.

He did not wait. Vader charged out the door in long strides, crimson blade flashing as he moved. His stormtroopers swarmed around him pouring covering fire out at the Imperium troops at the end of the bridge.

The Falcon fired another volley over at the bridge. Vader snapped his saber up and deflected the bolts down the length of the bridge where the bolts exploded among the Imperium troops. They screamed and began to fall back as his men surged forward but remained close to him.

Vader continued his steady but quick pace up the bridge as the Falcon continued firing, he could feel the pilot’s frustration growing and Vader smiled grimly beneath his mask as he deflected the next volley up at one of the approaching Imperium landers. It was struck twice amidships and the lander faltered in midair before returning fire at Vader’s men. Vader’s saber neatly swept to the right and caught the bolts, swinging them back over to the Falcon. The Falcon was rocked by the impacts and spun out of position, dropping out of sight for a moment.

“Do not stop commander, kill them all. Save the Wookiee and the Federation officers. Death to all Imperial traitors.” Vader ordered angrily.

“And Lord Nemesis?”

“Leave him to me.” Vader hissed as they reached the other side of the bridge and his men surged forward in a disciplined wave blasting away at the hastily regrouping Imperium troops.

Vader stood at the bottom of the bridge and reached out with his mind, searching for his traitorous offspring.




“You see Kirk! You’re not going anywhere!” Darkstar spat as he started to claw his way up Kirk’s leg. Like a leering demon he gasped and laughed simultaneously while moving, pulling Kirk further down and causing Leia to groan as she fought against the urge to let Kirk’s hands go. She closed her eyes and focused her will into a bright white light and remained attentive to that one light. Nothing else mattered.

“You say you’re not running but you lie. You say you don’t care whether you win or lose this battle but you lie. You say that you don’t believe in the no win scenario but you lie! You have been lying to yourself and everyone else when you sell them on the notion that you can possibly win. Accept it!”

“Never!” Kirk spat. He grunted as he tried to shale the crime lord loose as the bunker moaned and tipped forward until it was nearly horizontal to the walkway around the reactor. Kirk managed to finally work his right leg up past the desperately clawing mad man.

“Darkstar!” The mad crime lord glared up at Kirk, face leering up at him like a demented clown. “I…” Kirk brought his foot down on Darkstar’s face. “Have.” Another kick to the face sent the crime lord sliding down Kirk’s left boot, his hands losing their grip. “Had” the kick landed squarely on Darkstar’s face, several teeth burst down the crime lord’s throat as blood and puss streamed freely from his ruined nose. Darkstar lost his grip with one hand, the last one clinging to Kirk’s ankle like a vise. “Enough of you!” Kirk shouted and his foot came down on the crime lord’s face again and the heel dug into his ruined eye socket. Darkstar roared in pain and frustration as he lost his grip on Kirk’s ankle.

Darkstar screamed as he plummeted out of the room and down into the abyss, but his desperate flailing caught the end of a ruined conduit swinging freely from the main body of the bunker. He laughed at his luck as he held on, despite sliding steadily down on blood slick hands.

“Leave him Jim. We have to get out of here.”

“Jim!” Spock exclaimed as he finally found them. Spock wrapped his arm around Leia’s waist and with the other hand held himself steady as the bunker started to slide down.

Leia pulled Kirk to her and they held on to each other for a moment in a furtive hug.

“Captain it would be prudent to leave now.” Spock urged.

“Always the practical one, Mr. Spock. C’mon let’s go.” Kirk agreed as he and Leia clawed their way along the walls and up and out of the room and towards the bunker’s exit. Kirk paused long enough to look back at the dangling crime lord.

Darkstar glared up at the starship captain.

“No matter what happens Kirk you will lose. This will be you soon enough, clinging to a slender strand of hope over the abyss.” Darkstar screamed up at him over the howling wind. The conduit screeched and moaned as it swung more precariously.

“What matters here, Darkstar, is that you’ve lost everything and I’m still free. It won’t matter to you what happens later. You’ll be gone and forgotten. I’m not giving you another thought after this moment.” Kirk replied and simply turned away.

“Don’t you walk away from me! I am Hieronymus Darkstar! You don’t walk away from me!”

Kirk said nothing as he walked quickly to the entrance, helped Leia leap out and followed her out. Spock was the last one out. The sounds of battle were close. They could see the flashes of blaster bolts whipping around them and the screams of the wounded and dying.

“You sure know how to show a lady a good time.” Leia laughed and hugged Kirk. He smiled and kissed the top of her head.

“When I joined Starfleet they told me I’d get to see the galaxy and live adventures. They weren’t kidding.” He replied. He examined her for a moment, green skin, Starfleet uniform, hair in an odd bun on both sides of her head.

“That uniform suits you.”

“Be quiet.” She playfully slapped his chest.

“Glad to see you two made it out safely.”

Leia froze and turned to regard Luke who was cradling Mara Jade in his arms. Harry Mudd and Anastasia stood nervously beside him.

“Luke. Is that you name now?” Kirk began.

Luke nodded.

“We have a lot to talk about. This war, the Empire—”

Luke held up a hand.

“This is neither the time nor place. I have to warn you Captain, I may have returned from the abyss and rejected the teachings of the Sith but that does not mean that I am the idealistic young farm boy Leia undoubtedly remembers. I am something more. This means that if you thought there would be an instant rapprochement between our factions and that everything would go back to the status quo antebellum then you are sadly mistaken.”

Kilraven rushed up to Luke, taking a moment to fire several volleys back the way he came, returned his attention to Luke.

“Lord Nemesis. We have no where else to retreat. Lord Vader is nearly upon us.”

“Call in the Landers. Provide covering fire and prepare for a complete withdrawal.”

Luke turned his attention back to the others. Leia shook her head sadly.

“Luke, you can’t mean that. How is this different than your being lord Nemesis?”

Luke cocked his head as he regarded her. It was as if he were surprised by her sentiment.

“Leia, of all the people here I would expect you to understand me.”

“How?!”

Luke shook his head sadly.

“Leia, you ruled over Alderaan and were part of the rebel high command for many years. Let me ask you, would you ever have abandoned them? Would you have asked them to sacrifice their lives and their freedom to build something greater than themselves then walked away or asked them to give it all up?”

“That’s different – ” Leia began.

“Different how?” Luke pressed as a lander descended behind them, an access ramp dropped loudly and several squads of storm troopers and Remans raced out of the lander forming up defensive perimeter around the lander.

“Kilraven.” Luke interrupted.

“My lord!”

“Take Mara Jade and make sure she is the first one on the lander. Make sure no harm comes to her.”

“It will be my honor to take the Dark Lady sir.” Kilraven bowed his head respectfully and motioned for a pair of stormtroopers to help him carry her respectfully to the lander.

“Sir, with all due respect – Vader.”

“I know how much time we have. You make sure the Jem’Hedar are all on board as well. Do not wait for me.”

“My lord! We came here for you! If that is the case give me and my men the honor of standing by you until the end.” Kilraven protested bitterly.

Luke smiled softly and gripped Kilraven’s shoulder.

“You will stand by me. But get everyone else on board now.”

Kilraven nodded.

“Do you understand me Captain Kirk?” Luke asked suddenly pinning the man with an intense stare.

Kirk nodded slowly. Leia looked from him to Luke.

“As a Commander who has asked his people to hold on and fight against an insurmountable foe I could not ask them to surrender now.”

“The Federation Lives after all, doesn’t it, James.” Luke added.

“You can’t be serious Luke. You feel a sense of duty to them!? Look at them! Just look! These same Imperial troops have cut a bloody swath through our galaxy, killed our loved ones, and destroyed my world!” Leia snapped.

“When I look at them Leia I see beings from a patchwork of worlds. Romulans, Remans, Jem’Hedar, Coruscantians, Corellians. In many ways they are like the rebel Alliance I left behind. They have come to look upon me as their leader and their source of strength.”

“That sounds suspiciously like a Cult of Personality Luke. Do you want to be this galaxy’s Palpatine?” Leia exclaimed angrily. This is not what she had expected at all. She always imagined that when Luke came to his senses, when he abandoned this awful quest for power that he would return to the good man that he was. Instead he was something else. Something different and unexpected.

“People said the same thing about me.” Kirk interjected.

“You’re not taking his side.” Leia accused.

“Leia. I’m not taking his side.” Kirk replied putting his hands on her shoulders. He looked up at Luke. “But I do understand him.”

Luke nodded.

“A very old and wise Jedi Master once said that Looking through the others eyes is where the path to understanding begins. I’m glad to see it is true.”

Blaster fire exploded directly behind them. Reman disruptors joined the chorus of Imperium blasters in the return fire.

“Captain, I’m leaving Harry Mudd in your custody. I think you may find him worthy of something in your organization. He is misguided and a fool but he’s a good hearted fool.”

“Talk about your ringing endorsements.” Harry muttered.

“Mudd?! You want me to take Harry?” Kirk asked aghast.

“If you don’t you’re signing his death warrant Captain.” Luke turned his head to Anastasia.

“You should go with him too. It would be best. You can live amongst them better than you will with us.”

“You just espoused the virtues of your new society and you don’t think I should join you? You taught me to think for myself again, to struggle and be free. I’m not leaving your side.”

Luke nodded and motioned for her to go to the lander.

A roar of steel coming loose made some of the assembled people jump in surprise. The bunker behind them finally came loose from its mounts and slid down off the side of the reactor plunging down into the chasm.

“So much for Lord Darkstar.” Harry sighed.

A deep mad laughter floated up from the empty space after a moment of silence.

“It can’t be.” Anastasia gasped.

“Don’t worry Anastasia. His fate was sealed the moment he crossed me.” Luke said softly and urged her to move to the lander. Harry reluctantly walked to stand with Kirk who eyed him cautiously.

“You really should go now. We will meet again Captain. Perhaps sooner than you think.” Luke promised.

“I’ll be waiting.” Kirk replied. He turned his head to Spock and nodded. Spock flipped open his communicator as the Falcon soared overhead.

“Millennium Falcon. We’re ready to beam up.”

“Acknowledged Mr. Spock. Energizing.”

“Luke! Please see what it is you’re doing.” Leia urged.

“I know precisely what I’m doing Leia. Too many people in my life thought they knew what I should be doing. It’s time I followed my own path.” Luke replied then turned away to give his attention to the final evacuation.

“My lord, the Jem’Hedar are getting restless. The First is saying they will not go anywhere without the Walker of the Skies.”

“Very well. I am on my way. Secure the rest of the men and prepare to make a run for the Adjudicator.”

Luke froze in mid step as he heard the deep rhythmic mechanical breathing. Vader seemed to step out from the smoky clouds of debris and weapons fire. He stood stoically before Luke.

Luke could feel his anger like an inferno burning in the Sith Lord’s chest.

“Don’t you touch him!” Kilraven shouted and aimed his blaster at Vader. Luke placed a restraining hand on Kilraven’s shoulder.

“Do not wait for me. I want you lifting off as soon as you step on the Lander.”

“My lord.” Kilraven protested.

“That is an order. This foe is beyond any of you.”

Kilraven was obviously torn but his instincts were to follow his orders. He snapped his blaster back down and rushed to the lander, waving his men in.

“You have taught your men well. They follow you.” Vader noted but his

“They came here for me. That says all that I need to know about their loyalty.”

“Fear, Lord Nemesis keeps your men in line, fear of retribution.” Vader replied coldly.

“No.”

Vader said nothing as he took several steps closer. Luke grew apprehensive and took a step backwards, his hands drifted closer to his waist and his lightsaber.

“That name no longer means anything to me.” Luke finished.

Vader stopped short a mere meter away. His breathing was the only sound between the men. Luke felt the Force flowing and could sense the tension increasing exponentially.

“What are you calling yourself then? Emperor? Imperator? Conqueror?”

“Luke Skywalker.” Luke replied proudly.

“That is no longer your name.”

“It was the name my mother and father gave me. I bear it proudly. Skywalker is a name meant to save a galaxy.”

“Skywalker is the name that led you to betrayal and manipulation by the Jedi, it showed you to beg and plead for the feeble light to give you power and was worthless to you when you set on the dark path. Are you so proud to bear it now?” Vader sneered.

“I will bear it until the day I die. It is the name of my true self that I have forgotten.” Luke leaned his head in closer. “It is also the name of your true self.”

“Never.” Vader snapped and his lightsaber ignited with a slow snap hiss.

“I will not fight you father.” Luke asserted.

“Fight me? Luke, you decided to raise your hands against me when you turned from the dark path. You are unwise to lower your defenses.” Vader roared.

Luke’s lightsaber sprang to life and blocked the over handed strike. Luke grunted with effort as he pushed the blade back and swung his own in a wide side to side stroke, blocking Vader’s next set of attacks, each one landing with thunderous strikes and obviously meant to kill.

“You decided to fight me when you turned back to the teachings of those that betrayed me and you. To think you would embrace the title Jedi after all you have seen and been taught. It sickens me and you will meet your destiny for your weakness.” Vader vowed as his strikes began driving Luke back to the edge of the walkway. Luke blocked each blow, sweeping passes from his blade hummed loudly. He suddenly pivoted hard to the left and pressed Vader with sharp short blows. Vader effortlessly shifted to the defensive and brutally swept each of Luke’s strikes aside. The boy wasn’t even trying to kill him. Was he foolish enough to think that he would not kill him for this betrayal?

“I am not a Jedi. I forsook that path father.”

“Then what are you?” Vader snapped as he shifted into the offensive, his saber slashing in long broad strokes.

“I walk my own path now.”

“Your own path?! Many fallen Jedi thought as you do and they were all consumed in the end.”

“I’m different than they are father. I have walked the Abyss and returned.” Luke replied, catching the tip of Vader’s saber and viscously drawing it down to the floor. Luke kept it trapped low with his own blade as he leaned in close to mere inches from Vader’s mask. He looked into the black featureless eyelets.

“You can walk this path too. I can show you.” Luke urged gently.

“There is only the light and the dark Luke.” Vader replied bitterly.

“Then I will walk in the shadows between the two.” Luke replied. “Let us walk that path together as father and son.”

“You will not turn me Luke. You don’t know the power of the Dark Side.”

“But father…I did.” Luke said softly.

Vader paused.

“I feel the conflict within you. Let go of your hate. If I can return from the dark path than how can you not, father?”

“Obi Wan once thought as you did.” Vader whispered.

Behind them the lander began to take off. Fire from Vader’s troop concentrated on the lander but the shields easily repelled the blaster bolts. The lander began a slow climb past Luke.

Luke released his hold on Vader’s saber and took a step back extending his cybernetic hand to Vader as he doused his own blade.

“Father. Come with me.”

Vader looked up at Luke. How like Padme he looked. The same passion in his eyes, the full lips, and roundness of his body, it was all there. He imagined her offering her hand to him as they worked on him. The sound of surgical equipment, the buzz of the saws, the squeals of the needlers, the cold monotone of the medical droids.

Searing pain of lave and fire.

Vader took a step back.

Betrayal and jealousy, lies and corruption.

“Lord Vader?”

“Yes My Master?”

“Rise.”

“It is too late for me, my son.” Vader replied in defeat.

“If one thing this galaxy has taught me it’s that it is never too late. You can never surrender.”

“When next we meet, Luke, there will be no reprieves. I will not listen to your entreaties.” Vader held up his saber and pointed it at Luke as the lander floated directly overhead. One of the crew areas was open and Anastasia and Kilraven were urging him aboard.

“When next we meet you will meet your destiny.” Vader vowed darkly.

“Then my father truly is dead.” Luke whispered, collected his strength and leapt backwards in a spinning somersault and landed within the ship. The lander suddenly accelerated and rocketed towards the crater above. Vader watched his son as he stared at him from the open hatch before the lander vanished.

Vader lowered his head and stood silently for a long moment.

“I have lost him. I have lost my son.”

“Lord Vader, we have some Jem’Hedar prisoners as you requested. The Imperium troops have all been killed.”

Vader said nothing for a moment then he sensed something. Vader wordlessly strode over to the lip of the walkway.



Darkstar chuckled to himself. Oh yes, they would pay. How sweetly they would pay. Every single one of them - Kirk especially. Oh…the sweet anguish when he would pluck Kirk’s eye out. Mmm…sweet and delicious. The fools, how could they know that fate adored him. As he held on for dear life on this conduit the bunker collapsed around him. As it tumbled backwards and down into the abyss imagine his joy as he passed through open doors and access ways, never once struck by the falling behemoth. When it finally tumbled away he found himself still holding onto the conduit, the only piece of errant debris still firmly anchored to the walkway.

How could there be any doubt that he was destined to avenge himself on Kirk and his pitiful band. And Skywalker, oh he would entertain him again, that he would.

Darkstar continued to shimmy up the conduit, bloody hands leaving streaks as he worked his way up, legs wrapped around the conduit and working furiously as he saw the edge of the walkway.

“Fools. You’re all fools. The look on your faces when I see you again, how sweet your pain will be.” Darkstar chuckled. With grunts of effort he finally climbed over the lip of the walkway. He paused for a moment.

There was a strange sound, like mechanical rhythmic breathing. His remaining eye caught sight of black boots.

Darkstar looked up slowly and saw the black armored giant.

“What the hell are you?!”

Vader opened his hand and Darkstar was jerked off his feet and floated a foot off the ground.

“So, you are the fool who thought he could hold a Sith as a personal play thing.” Vader growled.

“What are you damnit! I am Lord Hieronymous Darkstar! This is my palace. My world!”

Vader turned his head to his stormtrooper commander.

“Bring me the Jem’Hedar prisoners.”

“At once my lord.”

“Release me at once and I may think of letting you join me.”

“You entertained yourself with Lord Nemesis. It is only fair and just that you now entertain me.”

“Entertain you?!”

The dozen Jem’Hedar were shoved before Vader, stormtroopers kept their blasters trained on the sullen looking warriors.

“Indeed. Let us see if you can entertain me, Lord Darkstar.” Vader’s voice dripped with contempt. “If you can survive I will allow you to live.”

Darkstar eyed the Jem’Hedar.

“You can’t be serious?!”

“I am deadly serious Lord Darkstar.” Vader replied and Darkstar descended down to the floor. He stood uncertainly before Vader.

“If the Jem'Hedar kill you I will let them go.”

The Jem’Hedar eyed each other.

“But first we must punish you for touching Lord Nemesis without his permission - For sullying him with your filth.” Vader suddenly snapped his saber down in a quick slash. Darkstar screamed as he stared at his left arm. The hand and most of his forearm was gone, instantly cauterized by the blade. His flesh still sizzled and smoked. The forearm and hand spun away, caught by the wind and vanished into the chasm.

“God no.” Darkstar whispered. “It wasn’t supposed to be like this.”

The Jem’Hedar smiled coldly and began to advance.

A stormtrooper tech rushed up to Vader.

“My lord, this reactor is minutes from exploding. We must withdraw.”

“Prepare my shuttle. Evacuate the base.” Vader ordered casually as he watched the Jem’Hedar stalking after Darkstar. The foppish fool stared wild eyed at the approaching killers.

“I created you! I made you!” Darkstar shouted madly.

Vader watched as the Jem’Hedar fell on him like a pack of wolves.

“Noooo!!” Darkstar screamed and suddenly there was a hard snap and his screams became incoherent babbles mixed with insane laughter. At first there was the sound of blows striking a side of beef, deep muffled impacts and then it suddenly progressed to wet sickening popping and snapping and the screams were soon drowning in blood.

Vader continued watching even as his shuttle descended behind him. The reactor began to shudder and rumble. Vader slowly walked backwards into the shuttle’s waiting hatch as the Jem’Hedar began pulling apart the crimson stained mess into wet handfuls of gore. Vader continued watching as the hatch closed.

He did not know why. He could not understand his own emotions as the shuttle rose away from the reactor complex and into the sky. Klingon Birds of prey made one last pass on the flattened palace and fired another volley of disruptor fire into the burning ruin before peeling away as one group and climbing up through the clouds.

Why did he feel no satisfaction? Why was he so empty inside?

His gloved hand closed around one of the coolant pipes running along the sides of the hatch and he squeezed, the metal slowly giving way as he saw the planet fall away behind him and his stardestroyer looming ahead.

A bright flash of light appeared on the surface of the planet, growing quickly in size. Some of the troopers glanced out of the view ports to marvel at the titanic blast.

The Adjudicator had already broken away from the battle and hung suspended in view for a moment before her engines flared up and vanished into the star field. Now there only remained the Devastator and the Klingon ships which were all wavering and fading from view as they accelerated away from the planet.

He wanted to focus on the death of the small man that had dared think he could hold a Sith lord. He wanted to think about his ship and what he was going to do when he returned to Thrawn’s fleet empty handed. He wanted to imagine himself rending and tearing the smug blue skinned red eyed alien apart with his bare hands.

He wanted to think about anything else to get rid of the only image currently running through his mind.

The image of his son holding out his hand and asking him to join him.

[Ghost Rider]

Fanfuckingtastic!

The whole bit with Luke and Vader was damn appealing, and I love how Luke isn't just becoming Rebel Luke but venturing forward.

I will add this...I love the fact of how you changed that one piece of classic dialogue "You don't know the power of the dark side." Having Luke know this adds something even the EU has never brought up after Dark Empire. He knows what lies down that path and knows it's power, and he denys it. It adds a very beautiful difference in the character.

I love the bit with Darkstar and Vader...very nice and that and you added how this just throws so much of a wrench into any of Vader's plans, but also brought up Vader's one true dream, and how it's turned on him.

[Enigma]

I want Vader to join Luke against the Emporer even though I suspect that Vader will die.

[2000AD]

You even managed to work in the dialogue from the ep3 teaser!

[desertjedi]

Suh-WEET!!! I cannot fucking believe how addicted to this story I am!

[Natorgator]

Pure genius. I always love how you work in quotes from the movies, and even the new teaser.

[Shroom Man 777]

Amazing man! This is like...the Bible!

[darthdavid]

Holy shit. You ROCK stravo.

[Mr Bean]

Gaah... Had to go to the store .... must read


*Edit HFS! Brilliantly wrapping that all up and even finishing off Darkstar

[Crazedwraith]

Amazing. Though personally I wouyld have gone for the Classic force choke rather than the 'throw him to the lizards' but, meh, savagely killed is savagely killed so who am I to complain?

[Trytostaydead]

I'd tell you how good this was Stravo, but I'm too busy jerking off to it, just kidding.. or am I?

Hahaha, seriously though. Stravo, when you started this series it was already good, yet you somehow each chapter always manages to surpass its predecessor. Damn fine reading.

[Pcm979]

Woo hoo! The Darkstar arc might have been getting a bit long, but it's gone in style! I can't wait for whatever comes next.