#forceborn

“Your Majesty, we have a unique prisoner from the Rebels. It would seem that the Prince has returned.” A storm trooper addressed Vader, respectfully bowing before the Emperor. “We caught him Naboo.”

It had been three years to the day when the young man remembered escaping with his twin sister from the Empire under their father’s reign. Luke had long heard ‘of a Rebellion. Such news penetrated even the safe walls of the palaces and star destroyers on which the boy had been raised. Leia had never been content to simply sit and allow things to continue as they were. She had to make a stand and Luke, ever the reserved twin and protective of his sister, had found himself going along with her. It was true that his heart had never been fully on the dark side, but he did not feel like he had any power to go against his father. And of course, he loved his father dearly.

Luke had changed during his time away from the Empire. He no longer felt helpless and was beginning to find his own strength. But he found that no matter how hard he tried, he could never truly be free of his father’s shadow. That he couldn’t put his full heart into the Rebellion, not when his family was so divided.

The boy swallowed and sat up in his cell that the troopers had locked him in. It seemed they were unsure exactly what to do with him when he had turned himself in. As far as Luke knew, there was no order to kill him, but he didn’t doubt the large bounty on his and his sister’s heads. 

But he had to admit that his plan hadn’t been exactly thought through. He had left his sister and their friends and traveled to Naboo to visit his mother’s mausoleum. He had been there once, maybe twice, during his youth. Somehow he felt called to visit it again before he decided to do what he had to. He needed to have his family back together and if that meant returning to the Empire from which he had fled, then so be it.

Much anger in him. Like his father.

“Where is my mother?” Luke demanded, his inherited lightsaber activated. He was ready to use the blue beam if necessary, even if he would indeed be foolish to do so. It was true that he was strong and years training under Master Kenobi ensured that he had incredible skills with the Force and the laser sword, but Lord Vader was powerful. A padawan learner such as himself would not be able to hold their own against the Sith Lord. Still, the man before him had slaughtered his father and murdered his twin sister shortly after his birth. While a Jedi did not seek revenge, Luke couldn’t control the anger and even the fear he felt. If something happened to his mother, then what? 

As exciting as it was to be at Skystrike, he had become nervous from the minute he had set foot inside the Skystrike. Literally the moment he had gotten off his transport ship from Tatooine, one of the head instructors had pulled him aside to lead him away from the batch of other fresh students for his orientation because the boy was being summoned to Lord Vader. 

Luke hadn’t known much about Darth Vader until recently. Growing up on Tatooine, there were many details about the Empire that the people there didn’t know or care to know. His only window into learning about who Darth Vader was information given him to read on a datapad on his way to Skystrike concerning information about the Academy and a bit of historical background and key figures in the Empire that every imperial student and officer ought to know.

He stopped when the instructor did in front of an office. The door automatically opened and the teacher walked inside. Luke, having no other choice, followed in behind him.

“Lord Vader.” The teacher gave a respectful bow to the Sith Lord. “Here is Cadet Luke Skywalker as was instructed.” 

The teacher then moved aside. The young man took a hesitant step forward so that Vader could see him better, but he remained silent, uncertain what the protocol was or what he should do in this situation. Had something gone very wrong? Why in the galaxy would the Emperor’s right hand man single him out? Luke didn’t know and for a moment wished that he was back on the moisture farm.

“Up next we have Luke Skywalker, a strong youth with fair hair. Has experience working on moisture farms. Sure be a pretty little thing around the home. Shall we start the bidding then?” An auctioneer said, encouraging people to pay up credits to own the boy. 

The child swallowed. How could this be happening to him? He should speak up and fight and... but he was only a nine year old kid. What could he do?

Then he felt it. An overwhelming sense that he could not comprehend, not knowing it was connection within the Force that he felt. He felt cold suddenly despite the desert heat and the feeling of a presence with so much palpable anger. It made Luke feel uneasy. He looked then to see in the crowd now were people wearing white armor over black, imperial storm troopers.

     of course ezra would come into the presence of a jedi--one who is strong with the force--by sheer accident.  he’s been stranded on a planet for a few weeks now, && THE REPUBLIC HAS JUST COME IN WITH RELIEF for the ongoing siege.

     ezra had been hungry.  that was all.  he had been paying attention to the wrong things as old habits fell into place--&& WHEN HE HAD RAN INTO THE JEDI, while holding onto some stolen goods, all while hearing the yells of someone angrily behind him, ezra did the only thing he could do.

“He didn’t talk about you much.  And what little he did say was ...” A lie, “... from a certain point of view.  But Uncle Owen did take me in; and he and Aunt Beru were good to me.”  Like a real family.

“They told me about her at least.  Your mother.  Some, anyway.  She was very special to them.

👁 Wake my muse up during a nightmare

He felt it more than heard it.  It wasn’t a sensation in his ears but rather one in his mind.  It rattled and shook around inside his brain like a hyperdrive engine right before a fatal failure– it seemed to coat the very inside of his skull.

Join me and together we will rule the galaxy as father and son.

Every muscle went rigid, desperately clinging to anything stable. His reaction wasn’t one of a thinking, rational mind, but one digging its heels in in the face of sheer terror, of being overwhelmed and overrun.  He was screaming–

Luke felt shaken awake, but the hand that touched him was spectral and he wasn’t sure if he felt it with his physical body or it was a shake in the Force; but either way, he was awake and sat bolt upright, only to be greeted by the face of his father.