HI :)

Sunday and some free time on my hand, so here is part 3 of Dear Son.  I hope
you'll like it :)

Characters part 3: Luke, Vader, The Emperor
Type: drama, family

Previously: Luke has discovered that his father is alive and has begun to
get to know him, and vice-versa.

Disclaimers: None of those characters belong to me. See my
front page for more details. (http://www.geocities.com/Area51/Quasar/3702)

Note about the story's copyrights: All the rights related to the basic idea
of
Vader finding Luke as a child at his school, protecting him from any bad
things and the Emperor, as well as the Emperor's scheme concerning Luke
belong to
Jessica (MoonArtist7@aol.com). Thanks for your suggestion, my friend ; this
story wouldn't have come to be without it.

Also, special thanks to my shy, secret beta-reader and best friend,
Adrianne,
for her help with the final editing of my new stories. (Eh, I have no choice
but to mention you, my friend ; your secret is still safe though ;) Thanks
for
giving us some of your precious time, my friend :)

Part 3: The Emperor

Fifteen days later, Vader has spent after another long day divided between
his son and his duty to the Emperor ; he was glad to return to his quarters
and spend some more quiet time with his son.
They had set up their healing routine for the end of the day, when they were
sure that he wouldn't be called upon unless there was an emergency.
Without any restraints of any kind, the boy's powers were quickly revealing
themselves to them by leaps and bonds.
During the past five days, his son had grown more in the Force than he
himself had in five months.
First of all, it was obvious that he had his father's touch with a bird. He
was already able to hold his own against squadrons of fighters, and would
soon begin the next level of this exercise.
Second, he was able to focus his mind and easily locate and contact him
whenever he was in the ship. He could also sense and locate without much
concentration any living or droid being around him.
Third, he had caught up quickly on the levitation skills, often practicing
them while his father was teaching him something else ; Vader had of course
warned him about that bad habit, saying that he needed to learn focus.
Fourth, Luke could tap in the Force's wisdom, something which was rare for a
child of his age. It always surprised him when it happened.
And last, but not the least, he was a born healer. His scars were almost all
gone now thanks to his added powers to the 'operation'.

As he sat on the bed beside his slumbering boy who was resting from his
Force exercises of the day, Vader rested his large hand against his bare
back. He once again felt the power that was stored in his son, or rather, he
corrected himself, the power that his son's particular tuning to the Force
was allowing him to tap into.
He knew all too well that the Jedi training was nothing more than to learn
how to tune one's mind to use the power of the Force, and the quality of
that tuning made a Jedi stronger or weaker, but in all his life, Vader had
never encountered such a limitless attuning to the Force's call.
It was, he reflected, as if his boy had only needed a key to open a door
instead of trudge a long path to reach his full potential.
Despite his incredible power though, Vader didn't push him to hasten his
training ; he simply took it one step at the time.
The Emperor wouldn't be happy, he already knew that, but Luke was his son,
his responsibility, and he wanted him to be a child before growing into a
mature young man. He wanted him to have the childhood and teenage hood that
he wouldn't have had on Tatooine, or if he officially began his training.
He knew what the Force did to someone when it was tamed too early on in
life.
Now that he had given him the first leads, which Luke had already developed
to their fullest and was content to know, he would concentrate on the rest
of his education, namely, his school courses.
If he wanted his son to survive in the life he was bringing him into, he had
to teach him everything he himself knew: chemistry, physics, maths,
politics, economics, languages, mechanics, military tactics... everything.
He would also continue to hone his flying and fighting skills, if only to
know that he wasn't defenseless if something wrong ever happened...
He withdrew from his trance and gently stroked his dozing son's head.
"Good night, my son." he whispered before leaving him to his much deserved
rest.
He had been right to tell him to rest tonight instead of taking part to the
healing, he decided.
His exercises had drained him today.

Luke was drifting in warmth, care and love, abandoning himself to the soft
blanket that was wrapped around his mind, when it began to pull away from
him.
He opened his eyes just in time to see his father exit his room.
"Father," he whispered in a sleepy-croaky voice, a voice that went unnoticed
by his father.
For a little over a split second, Luke debated whether to give it another
try or to let him go.
He resigned himself to the thought that it was time to go to bed.
Sighing, he laid his head back on his soft pillow, sleepily wrapping his
arms around it.
Hmmm, it was a good thing that he was done with his homework, he reflected
drowsily.
He had worked a lot on his Force skills today, and as his father had warned
him that he would if he overdid it, he was feeling dead to the world.
He dimly wondered why the Force had such an effect on new users.
His father was never tired because he was using the Force. He was lucky to
be this invincible, he reflected sleepily.
Sure, he had been through a lot, but he was so powerful, so invincible,
so... unafraid of anything.
Luke envied him for his courage.
He himself didn't feel this courageous. He wasn't afraid of his father
anymore, he thought sleepily, but he never dared venture out of the quarters
without him, nor stay too far from him when they were outside of them.
His father's troops and officers didn't seem to like him, much like his
'friends' at school, he realized, waking up a bit at that thought.
Even though his father reassured him that they would never dare even touch
him, Luke couldn't help but feel uneasy when his father wasn't with him.
Perhaps, he thought, it was because he was used to be afraid: afraid of the
sandpeople, of the bullies at school... of his uncle.
It that was true, he thought with a surge of mental energy, then he had to
stop being afraid of those things. He wasn't on Tatooine anymore, and he
wasn't living on a farm anymore.
He was with his father, on a huge spaceship, and he was where he belonged.
He felt at home here, he reminded himself, and he was good at everything he
did, and, most of all, he was loved for who he was.
His aunt had loved him like that, but she had been an exception. Most people
around him had sneered at him, or treated him like a fool or a stupid boy.
But he wasn't fool, and he wasn't stupid. He was intelligent, had always
known that he was, and he had skills that most people could only dream of.
Soon, he smiled proudly, he would fly a real ship ; what other kid could do
that?, he wanted to crow--- and he could use the same power than his father,
he added smugly.
He knew that the Force made them special people, above the average, thus,
their rightful rulers.
That was what his father said at least.
For the moment though, Luke didn't want to rule, he thought, his mind
slowing down once again. He just wanted to be with his father, to get to
know him even better than he already did.
They were so alike, he smiled sleepily.
He yawned.
Right, even Jedis needed to sleep.
Tomorrow, he told himself as he sat on his bed, removed his
richly-fabricated black trousers, then flopped back on his mattress and
slipped under his blankets.
He'd see him again tomorrow.

******

The next day, Luke awoke to a much different sight than the past days.
The ship was orbiting a planet.
It was a beautiful planet with shades of blue, green, white and brown,
indicating the presence of water, forests, and rocky ground.
It looked like a living planet this time, not at all like the dirt ball of
Tatooine or the grayish thing that they had orbited a few days earlier.
He jumped out of bed, hurried to wash and put on fresh clothes, then reached
out and searched for his father's presence.
He was in his office.
Luke ran so fast that he was at its door five seconds after leaving his own
room.
"Good morning!" he smiled brightly as he walked inside.
"Good morning, Son. To what do I owe this shiny smile?" his father asked in
his deep voice.
Luke noticed that he hadn't looked at him to know just how much he was
smiling.
"Uh, well, I'm glad to see you." he answered.
His father abandoned the study of his screen to shake his head at him.
"A word of advice to you, Son," he told him seriously. "if you can't lie
convincingly, tell the truth. It will be better for you."
"Lie? I haven't lied." Luke defended.
"Well, half-lied then." Vader commented, tilting his head in playfulness.
"So, what's the other part of the truth?"
Luke knew when he was beaten at his game.
"It's a beautiful planet." he admitted, indicating the sight that was still
filling the side bay-window.
"Yes, this is Ascador." his father supplied.
"Hmm, in the middle rim, right?" Luke asked, testing his astrogation
knowledge.
"Exactly."
"Are you going down on its surface?" he queried in interest.
"Hmm-mm," his father nodded silently, turning back to his screen. "While the
troops will be stocking the holds, I need to take care of some local,
troublemaking officials."
At first, Luke let a silence stretch in the room, then he stepped closer to
his father's wooden desk.
"Can I go with you this time?" he inquired earnestly, resting his hands on
the edge of the desk.

For a moment, Vader could only gaze at his son, as his earnest expression.
How he wanted to see the galaxy, he thought wistfully.
He reminded him so much of himself when he had been his age. In fact, he was
exactly like he had been, dreaming to visit all the stars in the galaxy.
Well, in a way he himself had, he admitted... but it was too early to help
his son achieve the same dream.
As long as he didn't have the Emperor's benediction in his son's matter, he
couldn't risk exposing him to too many eyes.
Introducing him to the officers of his ship had been daring enough as it had
been, but then, he had had no other choice since it was out of question to
keep the boy cooped up in his quarters.
On the other hand, he had found a subtle, if spiteful way to convince him to
not go out of them without him... Since the boy had always been afraid of
some people in his life, it had been easy and harmless to induce a
suggestion that he couldn't trust the inhabitants of the ship without his
father being with him.
Of course, he would remove that plant as soon as some details would be
settled about him ; he hadn't recovered his son and gone to the different
expenses concerning him to always keep him 'hidden', nor to play tricks with
his mind, he reminded himself. He hated having to resort to this trick, but
he had evaluated that he had no choice for the moment. However, soon, very
soon, Luke was going to live the life he deserved, that of an imperial
prince.
Even now, he was giving him everything he could to help him adapt to his new
status, starting with his clothes, he reflected as he mentally approved his
son's choice of clothing for the day.
During the last stop-over, he had sent regular servants on errands to
purchase refined yet functional clothes for his son.
They had come back with darkly and/or lightly colored trousers, shirts and
vests that were all made of rich fabric.
Luke didn't have any black 'uniforms' since he hadn't been recognized as a
true imperial servant yet, but his clothes still identified him as part of
the future elite.
Unlike his baggy farm clothes, his new clothes also revealed the exact shape
of his son, which was more or less athletic, but he was already improving on
that aspect too.
Aside from a proper education and appearance, he was also making sure that
he got the best food possible, as well as didn't lack of anything he
required.
All in all, he was doing everything he could for his son, but he still had
to be cautious, both with him and for him.
"I'm sorry, Luke." he finally answered his son. "But it is impossible for
the moment."
"Why?" the young teenager asked, slightly upset now.
Vader sighed, then stood up from his seat and invited him to stand with him
beside the window. Luke accepted his invitation and walked toward him until
he was standing in the crook of his father's arm.
"I'm afraid that my assignments aren't taking me to nice places these days,
Son." he began regretfully. "That planet, just like the other ones before,
are not worthy of your visit."
"But---" Luke interjected instantly.
Vader turned toward him and brought a hand to his son's face, gently making
him look up at him while showing compassion.
"Luke, you are a prince now, and princes don't meddle with the lowly
populations. Especially not Prince Vader."
"I know, Father," Luke admitted in resignation. "but... they look so
beautiful from space." he continued earnestly.
"Yes, they do, Son, but it is a deceptive beauty. Remember Tatooine?"
he asked him seriously.
Luke nodded silently. It too had been nice to look at from space.
"I give you my word that we will visit other planets together," Vader
promised seriously, "places that will be much better and much more
interesting than those rat holes."
"Okay..." the boy nodded in acceptance.
Feeling his son's great disappointment, Vader decided to make it up to him
right away.
"Come," he told him. "We have some time to work on your piloting skills
before I leave."
The young teenager's eyes lit up almost instantly and his glum mood faded
away.

******

Luke stood quietly by the window pane of his father's living room, watching
the departing shuttle and Tie Fighters.
How he wanted to be in his father's shuttle, or even in a Tie Fighter. As
long as he got closer to the mesmerizing sight that was Ascador.
Yeah, he knew that he was a prince now...
Prince... he had never thought of himself as being royalty.
In fact, he still wasn't used to be one. Even though his clothes were very
nice, that his room was filled with the latest gadgets in comfort and
entertainment and that he was treated with respect, he still thought of
himself like he had on Tatooine: as a young teenager who was daydreaming all
the time.
He wasn't imagining things about his father anymore, well... he corrected,
he was, but with him at his side.
He didn't think about leaving the farm anymore though ; he already had.
Sometimes, he was tempted to send a message to his aunt to tell her that he
was fine, but he had no doubts that his friends had told her everything that
had happened, so she probably knew that he was with his father now.
She too had known that his father had been alive, all that time...
When his father had told him that, he had felt a momentary flash of
dangerous anger at his guardians, but it had quickly dissipated when he had
remembered how she had been like he himself had been: afraid of his uncle.
Owen had hurt him because he had used his father's heritage, he now knew,
because he hadn't wanted him to uncover the truth...
Because of Obi-Wan Kenobi who had hidden him from his father.
But Kenobi was dead and his father was not as bad as before his death.
Two nights ago, they had talked about his father's past, about how he had
been before becoming Vader.
He had been like he was now, he now knew, as if killing Kenobi had freed him
from his evil personality.
Luke was happy that he had become a good man once again. Otherwise, what
would have happened to him?
He shook his head to clear those images from his mind.
His father wasn't like that anyway, he reminded himself.
He was like the man his mother had loved, his mother the Queen, who had made
his father 'King', although he had never had that title... so...
Yes, he could be a prince after all.
He was prince Vader, he reminded himself, trying to become one with his new
identity.
He didn't have difficulties with his father's name, he was very proud to
bear his father's new name since he himself was beginning a new life, but it
was the title that went with it.
That would get some used to it.
He suddenly realized that he didn't know how to behave as a prince! He
decided to study those things.
He was prince Vader now, so he would act like it.
Vader. It was a powerful name, he thought with pride. Unlike his royal
title, he knew how to act like a Vader, at least, as far as the Force was
concerned, he conceded.
He didn't know anything yet about tactical strategies though, and commanding
troops, politics--- he had to start learning soon, he thought seriously.
He watched the planet for a little while longer, then headed for his room
where a droid teacher was waiting to teach him what he wanted to know.
He had too much of that to delay anymore, he thought seriously.

******

Throughout the following two weeks, Luke spent his days in his room, soaking
up whatever he could download from the droid's memory, then, continued his
other kind of training with his father when the later was free.
Since he was young, he learnt fast, but only the basics of what he studied.
Vader knew that he couldn't possibly understand the more advanced notions of
science or human sciences.
He did satisfied his cravings for knowledge though, loading new programs in
the droid when he got through its basic program.
He also continued to hone his piloting and Jedi skills, pitting him against
himself to raise the challenge.
Luke was a bright, lively and strong child ; even though he didn't beat his
father, he gave him quite a run for his money, much to their mutual
pleasure.

******

The day of their arrival on Coruscant finally arrived. Luke was eager to see
the planet his father had told him so much about. He had heard about
Coruscant of course, but always as a place one should avoid if possible.
To his father, it was like a precious jewel.
As he stood on the bridge with his father, he understood why he thought so;
it was shining like a star when seen from their point of view.
It was beautiful.
"This is where you live?" he asked his father.
"Yes, this is our home among the stars. Sometimes, I spend a lot of time on
planet, and other times, I stay away for months." his father explained.
"Why?" Luke asked with interest.
He couldn't imagine one wanting to leave such a beautiful place.
"Because I have to, to accomplish my duty for the Emperor." his father
answered matter-of-factly.
Luke studied him with his young but intelligent eyes, then asked him a
question.
"Will I meet the Emperor?" he queried seriously.
Up to now, he had only heard about his father's service to the Emperor, but
nothing concerning him. He had never even been introduced to him either when
he had called on his father.
Vader rested his hand on his son's shoulder in reassurance. "Yes. He is
eager to meet you."
"You mean..." Luke gaped, "that this is where we're going?"
"Yes." his father nodded seriously. "Don't worry, I will be with you." He
comforted him.
Luke nodded in acceptance and understanding, but deep down, he couldn't help
but feel a pit of cold fear settle in his stomach.
The Emperor... He was going to meet the Emperor, ruler of the whole
galaxy...

******
Luke followed his father down extremely ornate, beautiful corridors which
were filled with hundreds of beings.
Well, he admitted to himself, that didn't look so bad.
Then they stepped through heavily guarded doors and the ambiance completely
changed.
The room was dark, practically deserted except for guards, and... the
Emperor...
Luke swallowed hard in renewed uneasiness as he walked beside his father.
His steps gradually slowed down in fear, so his father took hold of his
hand, reassuringly squeezed it but kept him walking.
When his father knelt in front of the Emperor, Luke mimicked him.
He had learnt at least that much during his protocol lessons.
"Rise, Lord Vader, young Vader." the Emperor's grating voice said.
That voice chilled him to the bone, he thought as he obeyed him.
"So this is the young prince." the ruler commented next.
Luke wondered if he was making a good or a bad first impression. He had
selected a black and white suit, aware that black was the color of the
Emperor.
When he refocused on the actual situation, the Emperor had risen and was
stepping closer ; Luke couldn't help but flinch in fear. He sidled a bit
closer to his father while trying to look confident, adult.
He felt like a small child though.
For a long moment, the ruler seemed to study him ; Luke's skin crawled for
as long as the Emperor looked at him.
He finally refocused on the dark lord, much to Luke's relief.
"He will serve me, of course." the Emperor stated.
"Of course, Master." his father nodded regally.
Luke found himself gaping slightly upon hearing those things.
'Serve?' he wanted to ask. They had never talked about that before now.
"Good." the Emperor commented before turning back toward him. "How old are
you, boy?"
Luke snapped to attention.
"I'm twelve, your Highness." he said as respectfully as he could.
"And what has your father taught you about the Force?" the other asked,
crossing his spindly, stark-white hands over his chest.
Luke noticed the long claw-like nails, while he forced himself to answer the
ruler.
"That it is a power I can use to whatever end I choose." he stated with as
much confidence as he could muster. "I know that I will learn many more
things in the future, your Highness." he continued.
He flinched yet again as he felt the Emperor's sudden probe through the
Force.

Vader felt his master probe Luke's mind, as well as he felt Luke's
discomfort, but the anger and potential for dark feelings reassured the
Emperor so he quickly withdrew without any mishap.
He also felt something else beside reassurance in the Emperor's mind, but it
was quicksilver and gone before he could identify it.
The Emperor smiled down at the boy. "Indeed you shall, my young apprentice.
I shall train you myself, boy, like I have your father." he stated greedily.
Vader expected that. He knew his master's cravings almost as well as he knew
his owns.
Luke was surprised by this statement of course, but before he could attract
the Emperor's wrath upon himself, his father spoke up.
"Master, Luke is my son, my apprentice." he defended. "I will train him
myself." he said adamantly.
The Emperor dismissed his comment as if it were inconsequential. "You are
always in missions, Lord Vader. You will not have time to train him
properly." he sneered as if he was being foolish.
Vader pulled Luke slightly behind himself, thus physically asserting his
right of decision concerning him. Luke didn't resist him, only too glad to
hide from that weird, yellow glare.
He didn't have to plant any suggestions about the Emperor either ; Luke was
scared to death of him.
"I will find the time, Master." he informed him. "Like I have for the past
month. I have already lost twelve years of his life, I am not going to miss
any more of them." He continued defiantly. "Luke will stay with me; I will
raise him and train him the right way."
Even though he couldn't see him, Vader knew that his son was gaping
speechless now.

Luke could feel the dark tension in the air, saw the Emperor shift slightly
sideways to have another look at him. His father interposed his bulk between
the two of them.
It made the ruler growl lowly in his throat, a sound that wasn't reassuring
at all.
"If I didn't know better, Vader," he snarled, "I'd say that this is as close
to betrayal as you've ever stepped."
"It isn't betrayal, Master." his father argued. "Luke is my son and I will
keep him with myself." he repeated.
Luke felt the Emperor's mental touch yet again, then it was cut off as
abruptly as it had appeared.
"Vader..." the other growled menacingly this time.
Luke heard a crackling noise nearby. He peeked around the black cloak of his
father. The Emperor's right hand was glowing blue with some kind of
electricity bolts.
"In time, Luke will serve you, Master, but until then, he will stay with me.
He is 'my' son." his father told him yet again.
The intensity of the lightning increased in the Emperor's hand; Luke hid
back behind his father, then began to look for some way to run away. There
wasn't anywhere to run to.
*Please, Father...* he sent desperately.

"Furthermore, Master," Vader added, "the results will be better that way. He
will be devoted to you, and will learn from experience instead of theory."
He didn't plead with his master. He had known that this would succeed, or he
would die. He eyed the growing intensity of the lightning in the Emperor's
hand, preparing to shove Luke away from himself to save him this torment.
Although, he conceded, if he was taking his last breaths, then saving Luke
from this slight torment wouldn't save him from the Emperor's greed.
Suddenly, the lightning disappeared and the Emperor grunted, acquiescent.
"Nobody but you would have such a privilege, Lord Vader." he warned in a low
voice. "I expect you to keep this in mind while you'll be away. One thing
going wrong and I keep the boy with the others and myself, am I clear?" he
asked darkly.
"Yes, Master. No such thing will be necessary."
He offered his hand to his son who was still hiding behind him and drew him
sideways until he was standing beside him once more.

The Emperor waggled a finger at the terrified boy.
"The same thing goes for you, young Vader. If your reports don't satisfy me,
I will bring you back here where competent trainers will take care of your
education."
"I understand, Master." Luke said contritely.
He had attentively listened to the conversation and knew that he had to
please him or else... And the first thing to do was to call him like his
father did.
"Dismissed, both of you." he grumbled, waving his hand in dismissal.
Luke bowed his head, then walked down the long stairs, followed closely by
his father.
He didn't need to be a Jedi to know that the Emperor was not happy about the
outcome.
And, Luke thought, he was sure that an upset Emperor was much, much worse
than an upset math teacher.
He and his father exited the gloomy room without any incident.

******

After this worrying encounter, his father brought him to his personal
castle. Since they traveled through secret passages, Luke didn't see much of
Coruscant's vaunted beauty, but once they reached his father's castle, he
saw once more that the planet-wide city lived up to its reputation.
He slowly walked toward the nearest bay window, as if afraid to either wake
up from the beautiful dream or else to shatter the ineffable sight if he
moved too brusquely.
Behind him, his father remained silent, quietly watching him as he admired
the expanding vista.
For a long moment, Luke could only gape, his eyes darting back and forth
between the traffic lines, the departing ships, the twinkling skyscrapers,
then back to the traffic lines. Never in his life had he ever thought that
such a place truly existed. He had always thought that it was some kind of
legend, or perhaps a disillusion... but it was real.
And it was his new home.
"Yes," his father nodded as he walked closer to him, "when we will not be
aboard my ship, we will live here." he told him warmly.
Luke turned his head upward to gaze at his father. "On your ship? You mean
we'll go back in space?" he asked eagerly.
He had thought that the Emperor was going to keep them both on planet for as
long as he wouldn't finish his training.
"Quite often in fact." his father confirmed. "I spend approximately one half
of my time aboard my ship, and the other half on Coruscant. Such are the
requirements of my service to the Emperor." he told him seriously.
Luke nodded slightly in understanding, then licked his lips and spoke again.
"Why do you serve him, Father?" he asked bravely.
He knew now what kind of person the Emperor was... He deserved the
reputation he had, he thought to himself.
His father rested his heavy hand on his shoulder and turned him around until
he was completely facing him.
"I am serving him because he is powerful and undefeatable, Son, and if you
want to live with me, you will have to learn to accept this servitude as
being part of your life from now on."
Young Luke was shocked. From now on?
"Me? But I'm only---"
"You will not always be a child, Son ; in a few years, you will be old
enough to serve him, and he will demand it." Vader paused, letting the
silence add weight to his next words. "You will have no choice then but to
serve him like I do." he informed him seriously. "It will be easier if you
already learn to live for him."
Luke was speechless. He hadn't expected this kind of news ; he had somehow
thought that he would only be with his father, learning from him, that he
would live adventures with his father, but not necessarily 'for' the
Emperor. Not until he were an adult, he conceded.
He wasn't afraid of his father... but the Emperor...
As if sensing his dread, his father crouched down and comfortingly took hold
of his slim biceps.
"Don't worry, Son, nothing bad will happen to you." he reassured him. "I
will teach you everything you need to know to please him, to be free, with
me."
Luke was unable to resist his emotions ; he took a step forward and wrapped
his arms around his father's neck.
"I will learn everything you'll teach me, Father. I don't want to anger
him." he whispered against his metal-covered shoulder, doing his best to
restrain his tears born from his fear.
"You won't, Son, I promise." Vader told him, wrapping his own arms around
his boy.

No, indeed, he wouldn't let his son disappoint the Emperor. He knew exactly
what he had to do to please him, so he would do it.
Yes, his son would serve the ruler, but at the same time, he wouldn't make
him fall to the Dark Side, nor would he turn him into another Darth Vader.
He would be a prince of heart and mind, but the Emperor wouldn't see any of
this since he would satisfy him.
Perhaps then, they would be able to break away from his service, he
reflected hopefully.
His son's hold loosened slightly. Vader pulled away from him and gently
framed his face with his two hands.
"There is no need to cry anymore, Luke. You aren't alone, and no one will
take you away from me."
Luke shamefully brushed his tears out of his eyes.
"I'm sorry Father, I still can't control them."
"I understand." he said then stood up. "Now, if you have enough of that
window, I'd like to show you the rest of the castle."
He didn't have to repeat himself ; his son eagerly followed him around the
castle, noting how different yet alike from the ship it was.
Once they were finished, he brought him on his personal level and let him
choose his own bed room.
Luke spent the rest of the day furbishing his chosen room with the furniture
he wanted, then the things he had spotted during his visit.
Meanwhile, Vader meditated on the events of the day.
There had been something in the Emperor's demeanor... something he wanted to
put his finger on.

Hours later, he reached his son's room, keyed it open, and sighed in relief
as he spotted his sleeping form on the bed.  He had just found out that the
Emperor wouldnt' stop at anything to keep the young teenager by his side, so
that when he would be adult...
He would be his completely.
Quietly, careful not to wake him up, Vader stepped closer and sat on the
mattress.
No, the Emperor would not have his boy, he promised himself.
He wouldn't let torment his boy like he tormented his other slaves. He
promised himself never to leave his son alone with the Emperor.
Never.
He settled in the corner chair and kept an eye on his sleeping son. As long
as they would be on Coruscant, he would keep a very close eye on him... for
his safety.

******

The next morning, while he was working in his office, a priority one message
came in.
It came from the Emperor.
Vader immediately threw a glance in his son's direction.
Luke was still reading his book, comfortably tucked in one of the chairs
that they had had brought in his office.
He would tell him about the content of the message 'after' he had checked it
up, he decided.
He already knew that it was about bad news anyway.
He opened it.
The Emperor wanted him to teach his son a particular curriculum, which
followed precise lines.
Vader couldn't help but gape in disbelief at what was expected from his son.
No reasonable teacher would ever ask a twelve-year-old child to be fluent in
three languages within a year, even less to be able to compete with a
professional athlete or a skilled general, not to mention the rest of the
curriculum.
He had, Vader realized, found just the perfect way to make sure that his son
would be taken from him... and into his greedy,... very close custody.
"What is it, Father?" Luke's voice asked, cutting in his dark thoughts of
hatred.
He swiftly looked up, startled to find him aware of his distraught state and
in front of his desk without his being aware of it.
For a moment, he debated whether to tell him or not, but in the end, he
couldn't lie to him.
He instead turned his screen until Luke could see it for himself.
"It looks like the Emperor has discussed with his 'teachers' to mount a
curriculum for your courses." he explained regretfully.
Luke read the first line, then he locked his befuddled gaze with his own.
"That's impossible, it has--- I mean---" he stuttered.
Vader shook his head, indicating that it wasn't a mistake... unfortunately
far from it.
"Remember what he has said yesterday?" he asked his son.
"You mean about my satisfying him?" Luke queried worriedly.
He nodded. "I think he wants to test you." he lied.
"And if I fail?" Luke asked, remembering the rest of their deal.
"You will be staying here." he nodded in resignation.
For a long moment, Luke remained silent, his eyes locked on the computer
screen. He slowly scrolled down the list, as if studying it.
When he bit his lips, Vader was tempted to read his mind and see what was
going through his head at the moment, but instead, he simply took a
reassuring hold of his left hand.
Finally, Luke took a deep breath, rose his head and said: "I can do it."
That surprised his father to the utmost. He hadn't expected that kind of
answer at all.
"Are you sure?" he asked before he had thought any further.
What could he do anyway?, he asked himself. He couldn't push it anymore with
the Emperor, and unless he left Luke here, he would have to push his son way
beyond his limits.
"Yes, I'm your son, Father." Luke nodded seriously. "If you can do anything
you want, then so can I." he explained his reasoning. "Besides, the Force is
with me."
It was logical, Vader admitted. He could only hope that it would be feasible
as well.

TBC

Well, liked it?  Let me know please :)

SJ