Bespin
by Valerie Vancollie
"Search your feelings, you know it to be true," Vader pressed holding out his left hand.
Luke just looked at him, his eyes wide with horror as he knew what the Dark Lord said was true. Still he shook his head in denial, denial he just couldn't feel. Desperately he looked around for a way to get away from the Dark Lord, from his father.
"Luke," Vader continued. "Join me and together we can end this destructive conflict and bring order to the galaxy."
Luke looked back up at his father, memories rushing back to him. All his life he had wished for a father, to be with him, to learn from him, to have him call his name. And now he had that chance, but it was different, so different. If he joined his father he would be betraying all he had stood for, all he had fought for, he would be betraying his friends. His friends!
Suddenly he thought of Han frozen in carbonite, being delivered to Jabba the Hutt. He thought of what Leia had told him about her interrogation at Vader's, his father's, hands. And instantly he knew that he couldn't, now or ever, join his father. There were just too many lives, to much blood, between him and the black clad specter standing at the edge of the gantry.
"Luke," Vader said. "You can defeat the Emperor, he has foreseen it. Come me and together we will be stronger then the Emperor. Join me and together we will rule the galaxy as father and son. It is the only way."
Luke looked down, then back up at his father, knowing what he had to do. He could not, would not betray his friends. With complete calm he looked his father directly in the face and smiled before saying:
"Never."
He then released his grip on the cold metal and let himself fall down into the depths of the abyss.
Vader stepped forward as he lowered he hand. He then stood and watched as his son fell further and further.
As Luke fell he instinctively cried out as he desperately reached for anything that might slow or stop his fall. But it was no use, there was nothing between him and the bottom of the abyss but a few hundred meters of air.
"Goodbye, Leia," he sent just before he hit the cold, hard metal and died instantly.
* * *
Standing at the edge of the gantry above the abyss Vader remained frozen in place as his only son died. His expression was hidden behind the mask that had covered his face for over twenty years and probably would cover it until the day he himself died.
* * *
Entering the cockpit of the Millennium Falcon Princess Leia Organa froze as she suddenly heard Luke's voice in her head.
"Goodbye, Leia."
Then she felt as if some vital part of her died and she instinctively knew that she would never she her friend again.
Thoughts? Comments? Suggestions? E-mail me at valeriev84@hotmail.com
February 1999
