[Short Stories] - Dark Emperor 3(15)

Deep inside the station, the main reactor was exploding. Emperor Palpatine’s last thoughts were of hatred for Vader and Skywalker, and of the vengeance he would one day have. Then the Death Star erupted with cleansing fire, bringing Palpatine’s Empire to an end.

*

It was over. Palpatine, Luke, and Vader had gone through their personal crucibles and emerged forged into new shapes. Vader had lost his life, but won back his soul. Luke had lost his father and his innocence, but gained maturity and become a Jedi at last. The Emperor had lost everything, but somewhere within the dark side of the Force, he lived on as a hatred that would not die. He knew he would try to live again in one of his clones, and return to menace the children of Anakin Skywalker once again. But for the present, the light side had triumphed.

The newborn New Republic was removing its forces from Endor. The threat of the Ssi-Ruuk had been countered, and now the weary freedom fighters could begin to return to their homes and undertake the monumental task of creating a new government. Mon Mothma wanted to leave Endor the way it had been before the Empire had moved in, pristine and unspoiled. A few Ewoks had decided to go adventuring in space with the former Rebels, but most of them bid farewell to their new tribe members and went back to their primitive lives among the lofty tree villages.

The lights of departing starships dotted the night sky of Endor as one particular Rebel said his last good-byes to a place he might never see again. Luke Skywalker, Jedi Knight, gazed sorrowfully at the burned out funeral pyre of his father. The starlight of the clearing dimly showed him that there wasn’t much left of Darth Vader’s body, only blackened, melted armor. A far greater absence was felt in Luke’s soul. He had regained his father for such a brief time, then lost him forever. That made it much more painful, somehow. It was time to say farewell.

Slightly embarrassed, Luke spoke into the night softly. “Father. Anakin. I know you’re at peace in the Force now. I think I saw you with Ben and Master Yoda, that night after I burned your body. I hope that was the right thing to do. You were turned before the end, but I felt your body should be freed from the machine that kept it a prisoner.” Luke looked up at the stars. “I know you came to see Leia. She told me you wanted her forgiveness. It’s a hard thing for her to forgive or forget. But she told me a while ago that she had made her peace with you, and that you would know it. I wonder if you can hear me? I wondered why you appeared to Leia and not to me. I’m sure you had your reasons, but there was more I wanted to say to you.” Luke’s voice trailed off. He stood there for several minutes, letting his silence convey the rest of what he felt. He turned to leave, his face full of disappointment. Luke was startled to find himself face to face with the glowing apparition of his father, standing at the entrance to the clearing. Anakin was dressed in plain gray robes, and as before, he appeared as a gentle faced late middle aged man. He was smiling at Luke.

“Have you—how long have you been standing there?” Luke demanded.

“I’ve been watching you, my son. I’m very proud of you, and of your sister. I meant to see both of you, Luke, and here I am. It was given to me to see and speak with each of you once only. I asked forgiveness of your sister. As for you, my son, I want to tell you about the Emperor.”

Luke was pleased and saddened at the same time. “If that’s all the time we can have, we should make the best of it. The Emperor is dead, what more is there to say about him?”

Anakin’s face was troubled. “You can’t be sure of that, Luke. I was very close to the Emperor. He was strong in the dark side, but it made him weak in the flesh. I don’t think this was the only time he died.”

Luke couldn’t believe what he was hearing. “What do you mean, Father?”

Anakin spread his spectral hands. “I saw him become very old several times while I knew him. Suddenly, he would be young again. He never told me how he did it, but I suspect he used a clone of himself to regain his youth. If he is able to do so again…” Anakin let his hands fall.

Luke shuddered. Palpatine had been so evil, so powerful. Only his father’s intervention had saved his life in the end. He doubted he could survive another encounter.

“However,” Anakin tried to reassure him, “the Emperor always went to a mysterious location in the core worlds in order to be rejuvenated. It may be that he could not save himself here at Endor. He may be dead forever. For now, at least, the galaxy is free of him.”

“You’re free of him forever, Father,” Luke smiled.

“Thanks to you, my son,” said Anakin. “Somehow you knew there was good in me when the Emperor didn’t know, and I myself didn’t know. How could you tell?”