Luke Skywalker (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
faithfulson) wrote in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
deernet2022-05-27 08:09 pm
faithfulson) wrote in deernet2022-05-27 08:09 pm
[Accidental Video] UN: JustLuke
[ CW: Character death. ]
[ The video comes in sharp and suddenly all over the omnis, the viewpoint jagged and bouncing, full of ragged breaths and the sharp glare of fires springing out from metal panels. People in black and grey uniforms and white armor were running around the viewer, ignoring them entirely as they struggled with something heavy -- a person, judging from the wheezing sound that was loud gasping in the viewer's ear. Grey halls struggled by as they moved, circuitry popping out of walls and smoking, before they finally emerged out into a massive hanger. Most of the uniformed individuals were running for ships, but one stood apart from the others -- a tri-winged ship, with one central fin sticking straight up from the main body and two others folded over on the sides. The viewer paused to let out a tired, ragged breath... and finally looked over to the person they were carrying. ]
[ Even bent over and huddled close to the viewer, the black death mask of Darth Vader was both recognizable and absolutely terrifying. The sharp, electronic wheeze was coming from did not sound remotely okay, nor did the right arm that he had tucked tight against the control box on his chest, with burnt wires hanging limply from a stump where a hand used to be. There was the sound of a deep breath, the viewer steeling themselves, before they turned their gaze ahead, starting forward once more. ]
[ It was clear that the person was beyond exhausted at this point, however. The view of the hanger wavered slightly now and then, the image shaking as something behind them rumbled, before finally the whole area shook from an impact, sending the view tumbling around as the person hit the floor. A loud thunk came from beside them as Darth Vader hit the ground as well, the dark lord coming into view as the person rolled up, back to their feet. There was an urgency now as the person didn't even pause to get their breath back, grabbing Vader's arms and dragging him, hurrying as fast as they could to the ship, not stopping until the dark lord was propped up against the boarding ramp. ]
[ The viewer shifted around, coming down like they were getting ready to lift Vader up again, lifting him up by his shoulder, only to be stopped. ]
Luke... help me take... this mask off.
[ The viewer -- Luke himself -- froze at the request, a shuddering breath escaping from him. ]
But you'll die.
Nothing... can stop that now. Just for once, let me... look on you with my own eyes.
[ There was a clear hesitance in Luke despite the view of the scene coming from his eyes, before he nodded, propping Vader up enough so he could reach up and grasp his helm. A hiss escaped as he lifted up, exposing the complicated workings of the mask underneath, and Luke set it aside in favor of peering around, trying to see how the mask came off. He figured it out soon enough, reaching behind and pulling back, taking the mask away... ]
[ And revealing the face of Anakin Skywalker. ]
[ The face was heavily marred, deeply scarred and completely hairless, skin paled from two decades of being hidden in the dark. Yet still, blue, slightly pale eyes glimmered from deeply set eyes as Anakin gazed up at his son, and the view of him started to get hazy as Luke struggled against tears, finally able to see the face of his father. ]
Now... go, my s-son. Leave me.
[ He was choking, unable to breathe, just barely able to get the words he wanted to say out. Luke's vision cleared as tears fell from him shaking his head. ]
No, you're coming with me. I'll not leave you here, I've got to save you.
[ Anakin just smiled, straining slightly from the effort. ]
You already have... Luke... You were right. You where right about me. Tell your sister... you were right...
[ The last word came out with a rasping breath, and Anakin started to fall back, unable to keep himself up anymore. ]
Father--! I won't leave you--!
[ It was too late. ]
[ With one last, almost relieved sigh, Anakin Skywalker fell still against the boarding ramp. The view of his still body blurred immediately with Luke's grief. A gloved hand slid down Vader's armor, before the image turned dark, with only the sound of Luke's shuddering breath as he struggled not to openly weep. ]
[ The dark fades away, leaving Luke standing in front of the omni in stunned silence. Tears were falling from his eyes, though he didn't seem completely aware of them as his mouth moved, struggling to say something, anything, about the deeply personal memory that was just broadcasted for all of Trench to see. ]
[ Finally, he clicked his mouth shut, quietly reaching over and deactivating the omni without saying anything. ]
[ The video comes in sharp and suddenly all over the omnis, the viewpoint jagged and bouncing, full of ragged breaths and the sharp glare of fires springing out from metal panels. People in black and grey uniforms and white armor were running around the viewer, ignoring them entirely as they struggled with something heavy -- a person, judging from the wheezing sound that was loud gasping in the viewer's ear. Grey halls struggled by as they moved, circuitry popping out of walls and smoking, before they finally emerged out into a massive hanger. Most of the uniformed individuals were running for ships, but one stood apart from the others -- a tri-winged ship, with one central fin sticking straight up from the main body and two others folded over on the sides. The viewer paused to let out a tired, ragged breath... and finally looked over to the person they were carrying. ]
[ Even bent over and huddled close to the viewer, the black death mask of Darth Vader was both recognizable and absolutely terrifying. The sharp, electronic wheeze was coming from did not sound remotely okay, nor did the right arm that he had tucked tight against the control box on his chest, with burnt wires hanging limply from a stump where a hand used to be. There was the sound of a deep breath, the viewer steeling themselves, before they turned their gaze ahead, starting forward once more. ]
[ It was clear that the person was beyond exhausted at this point, however. The view of the hanger wavered slightly now and then, the image shaking as something behind them rumbled, before finally the whole area shook from an impact, sending the view tumbling around as the person hit the floor. A loud thunk came from beside them as Darth Vader hit the ground as well, the dark lord coming into view as the person rolled up, back to their feet. There was an urgency now as the person didn't even pause to get their breath back, grabbing Vader's arms and dragging him, hurrying as fast as they could to the ship, not stopping until the dark lord was propped up against the boarding ramp. ]
[ The viewer shifted around, coming down like they were getting ready to lift Vader up again, lifting him up by his shoulder, only to be stopped. ]
Luke... help me take... this mask off.
[ The viewer -- Luke himself -- froze at the request, a shuddering breath escaping from him. ]
But you'll die.
Nothing... can stop that now. Just for once, let me... look on you with my own eyes.
[ There was a clear hesitance in Luke despite the view of the scene coming from his eyes, before he nodded, propping Vader up enough so he could reach up and grasp his helm. A hiss escaped as he lifted up, exposing the complicated workings of the mask underneath, and Luke set it aside in favor of peering around, trying to see how the mask came off. He figured it out soon enough, reaching behind and pulling back, taking the mask away... ]
[ And revealing the face of Anakin Skywalker. ]
[ The face was heavily marred, deeply scarred and completely hairless, skin paled from two decades of being hidden in the dark. Yet still, blue, slightly pale eyes glimmered from deeply set eyes as Anakin gazed up at his son, and the view of him started to get hazy as Luke struggled against tears, finally able to see the face of his father. ]
Now... go, my s-son. Leave me.
[ He was choking, unable to breathe, just barely able to get the words he wanted to say out. Luke's vision cleared as tears fell from him shaking his head. ]
No, you're coming with me. I'll not leave you here, I've got to save you.
[ Anakin just smiled, straining slightly from the effort. ]
You already have... Luke... You were right. You where right about me. Tell your sister... you were right...
[ The last word came out with a rasping breath, and Anakin started to fall back, unable to keep himself up anymore. ]
Father--! I won't leave you--!
[ It was too late. ]
[ With one last, almost relieved sigh, Anakin Skywalker fell still against the boarding ramp. The view of his still body blurred immediately with Luke's grief. A gloved hand slid down Vader's armor, before the image turned dark, with only the sound of Luke's shuddering breath as he struggled not to openly weep. ]
[ The dark fades away, leaving Luke standing in front of the omni in stunned silence. Tears were falling from his eyes, though he didn't seem completely aware of them as his mouth moved, struggling to say something, anything, about the deeply personal memory that was just broadcasted for all of Trench to see. ]
[ Finally, he clicked his mouth shut, quietly reaching over and deactivating the omni without saying anything. ]
no subject
[Because it's not working.]
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[ He definitely doesn't feel like a wise and knowledgable Jedi when it comes to trying to assure his father of anything. ]
Father, in the end, I just love and care for you. Maybe you feel like you don't deserve it, maybe you didn't in this memory too, but it doesn't change the reality. I love you, because you're you, because you're my father. And no matter what happens, no matter how bad things get, I'll always be there, to pull you back, and remind you.
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How about you just stop telling me how often I've tried to kill you?
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[ Luke paused a moment. ]
I just now realized that probably sounded awful.
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[ The sudden, all-caps response gave off such an impression that he was being yelled at, that he couldn't help a fast response of his own, forgetting to use the space bar in his haste to get it out. ]
[ He let out a sigh after a moment, taking a breath and letting it out slowly as he searched the Force for calm, for... something he could respond with that his father could understand and not be upset by. That was why his next response was a long time coming. ]
I could talk to "Vader", you know? It wasn't hard, on the few occasions I had to. He's... direct, blunt, to the point; being the same was the easiest way to communicate with him.
Before I ended up on the Death Star -- that's where we are in that memory -- I waited for morning in a cell, and I entertained the best case scenario. I wanted to hope for a happy ending; that we'd stop the Emperor together, and you'd escape with me. That I would be able to get you help so you wouldn't have to wear that awful suit, and we'd be together. I knew how to talk to that version of you in my head too; blunt and honest, but gentle.
But a you that hasn't gone through any of that; YOU, here, I'm just stumped. I want to be honest with you, because you deserve honesty, and at the same time I feel like I'm wandering into a gundark lair every time I try to. Even when I'm not trying to talk about it, I feel like there's this massive rift between us, and I don't have the power to cross it on my own.
no subject
You don't want me. You want him. And that's alright.
[It's not, but he doesn't know what else he's supposed to do. He doesn't want to live down to their expectations.]
I think it'd be better for you if we pretended not to know each other.
[He doesn't want to cross the rift if he has to do that to himself.]
no subject
This! This is what I'm talking about! I don't know how to communicate with you without you assuming that I don't want to be your son! I'm proud to be your son, no matter what name you go by or what you do. I don't know how much more plainly I can state it!
[ Seriously, does he need to sit there and hug him like he's a feral lothcat before it finally sinks in?! ]
Look, if you end up leaving this place, go back to the point in time you left, and took the knowledge of the future with you; if you could take that knowledge and change things, stop Palpatine before the Empire rises, keep yourself from becoming Darth Vader, that's GREAT. I would be nothing but happy for you.
But that won't change MY experience. MY past is set in stone, and nothing will change that. You going back and changing things will create a new version of our universe... probably. I'm looking after a droid that's from an entirely different timeline, so it would make sense if that happened. Your Luke will have a happy life with his parents, and will never know what I went through to become who I am.
I would be happy to have you as my father if that happened. I would happy to have you as my father if you continued on the path that I've told you of. NOTHING will change how I feel about you being my father.
no subject
How would you feel if you met someone from your future and all he'll ever say is what a monster you end up becoming even when you tell him you don't want to hear it! You claim you'd accept it all, but you don't. You've done whatever you wanted and now you can do it away from me.
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I can't say; I haven't had that happen to me yet. But... I think if I became a monster in my future, I would like to know why.
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[ That probably wasn't the wisest response, and probably seemed liked he was goading an argument out of his father, but... he had to know how he would respond. If he would shift all the blame or take it all on himself. ]
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[It's now he realises how little Luke actually saw him and as much as this hurts he has to do this. Luke wasn't going to change, he had no reason to and he wasn't going to leave him alone. Anakin had grown up with the Jedi respecting his boundaries. To be faced with the opposite was a reminder of when he wasn't even considered a person.
After he sends this message he sets up his omni to divert all communications from Luke so he'll never see them.]
no subject
You think I'm happy never knowing the person you were? I didn't even know you were a JEDI until I sat down and talked with Ben after R2 showed up! Most of my life, I was led to believe you were part of a drug runner crew -- that you went from a slave to a navigator on a spice freighter!
Imagine my surprise when I found out you were really neither of those. Imagine just how great it is to finally meet the man I idolized as a child here, only to find he really isn't much different from the person he turns into!
[ He did much the same after that; setting his omni to divert messages from his father, before flinging the device across the room in his frustration. ]