Inside his meditative cocoon, he became the center of the universe. He fancied himself as the omnipotent sun worshipped by preastronomical civilizations. Planets, asteroids, meteors, and stars--why, he reigned over their orbital trajectories. Privileged planets with moons existed as quasi-states, though their moons accelerated beyond apogee; with geological patience, the moons ceded to the gravity of the sun and earned their planetary autonomy. Order governed the system, though the phantom planet eluded him. Even with telescopic vision, the aphelion prolonged. This stellar body with its phantasmal name was in the umbra of the universe that bequeathed blindness to the Dark Lord.
Skywalker.
That lone word whispered connotations like the bless�d curses of ancient prophecies--death and life, hate and love, fear and hope.
Ah, hope, that most lethal word in his vocabulary. How its probability of success was against him! The dealer sabotaged the sabaac deck him phenomenal finesse before the player who knew himself to be cheated. Any ordinary being would have sought treatment because family would intervene with this addiction, but this gambler had lost his early in the game. The only remaining prize should be revenge on the dealer, especially after being distracted by Obi-Wan for twenty years during this insidious game. However, there was greater treasure to be had--his son.
Luke.
Only through his son would vengeance be had upon the Jedi, upon the Sith. He breathed outward in search of the youth through that sublime dark tapestry named the Force. It wrinkled across the Galaxy, layer upon layer of luxurious matter folding to his command. Blast those midi-chlorians, this luminescent sorcery transcended the sciences to endow even him with wonder. Finally, there was another ripple in the blanket; it must be smoothed as to not alert his sleeping master.
How the muffled howl lulled him! The Force tapestry smoothed with reinforced shields to shadow mind and body; no matter their strength and thickness, the howl echoed to him. It throbbed through him with savory emotions. Ah, the taste of youth with its succulent skin, so unlike the shelled one who claimed himself Emperor. This was not bland or salty; it was heart burn planet! He scavenged the spicy Force potential, craving it for himself.
Luke!
He groped for this power. To stroke its raw potency, to coddle its pliable form--this would be exquisite. It would yield to his embrace, clinging to him with equal fervor. Their dual powers would lay content in balance, one never straddling the other�
No!
Anticipation extinguished. The spark fizzled with camouflage. The Dark Lord knelt in the embers, sobbing silently over his chameleon son. Again, the chase would persist so long as the phoenix rose with the awakening spark which goaded the ambitious ghost of Anakin.