Memoirs of a Sith Lord

Do not put your Faith in me, my Son

My next escape, or summoning, or whatever it was brought me to Degoba. I was confused. Had the Jedi sent me to Naboo or had I escaped? Did they choose this location or did the Force itself? I saw no pattern in it.

Luke was present this time. He was living in some kind of elaborate tree house. I'd have gone to him, but the chains of energy bound me in place. Luke descended, and as he took a seat, the ghostly Jedi Masters surrounded us, focusing their thoughts and energies on me.

"Father," Luke said. "They've told me what you said. Is it really true? Most of the younglings from the Jedi Temple lived?"

"It is, my son."

"Then I wasn't wrong about you, after all."

I could barely stand the look of renewed hope in his eyes.

"Do not put your faith in me, my son."

The pain I felt then was worse than anything, but it was not the chains. Padmé and I, whatever flaws we may have had, created two fine children.

Where was Leia? Would the Jedi take me to see her before my final judgment?

"Think you can use the Dark Side to do good, do you, Lord Vader?" Yoda asked.

"What?" I said. I have always had the worst time understanding Yoda. Honestly, I think there's something wrong with him.

"Don't you see, Master Yoda?" Luke said, light beaming in his eyes. "My Father was supposed to bring balance to the force. We've made a terrible mistake wiping out the Sith. My father saved the younglings twice: the first time from the Emperor and the second when he formed the coven and taught them to overthrow the slave masters on Tatooine. He helped these children when we failed them."

"Freed the younglings are not. Enslaved to the Dark Side are they. Chained, like Lord Vader, will they be," Yoda said. He nodded his head sagely. Obi-Wan saw his head bobbing and copied him. How did these people ever beat the Emperor? Oh, right. Luke.

"Maybe I should go find the younglings," Luke said.

"You turned your father once, Luke, and he reverted," Obi-Wan said. "What can you do against an entire coven?"

"I could join them. I am strong in the Force. With me leading them, we could make a difference throughout the galaxy!"

My son? The Dark Side? No!

"Don't do it Luke," I pleaded.

"Don't you see, Father? I can help the younglings."

The chains burned me with their terrible fire and for a moment, I was unable to speak. My vision blurred. I needed to convince Luke not to start on the Dark Path.

With a terrible effort of will, I threw myself free from the chains. My spirit flew as fast as it could. On Degoba there is a place, deep in the swamp, that is powerful with the Dark Side. Instinctively I flew to it. If I could just regain my strength, get my thoughts together, I could put this foolish notion out of Luke's head.

I arrived at the place, a cave filled with mist. A shape approached me, cloaked in black. It was Luke. I wondered how he got here so quickly, despite the great distance that separated this place from the one where the Jedi had gathered.

"You don't know how much the Dark Side takes from you, my son. You must not become like me."

But instead of replying, he bent down and reached into the mists.

"What is it, Luke? What are you searching for?"

He rose with a helmet in his hands, the same black and fearsome work of metal I once used to strike terror into the hearts of the Jedi and set it down over his own head. I heard my rasping breath coming from him.

"No!" I screamed.

Suddenly, I was thrust back into my prison. I felt drained, weak.

Most fathers want their children to become like them. Luke, if you can hear my thoughts, listen to me. Stay away from the Dark Side.