LOST KINGDOM ─ star wars

IX. Old Friends

Chapter Nine
Obi Wan

Finding the reactor wasn't very difficult, the difficult part was sneaking past all of the stormtroopers. This base is filled with them, like bees swarming together in a hive. But since their depth perception is terrible due to their helmets, and because I have the will of the force on my side, I have slipped past them. The switch to turn the shields off is in the room I am entering in now, on a control board of the reactor itself.

I look around the platform and find no one in sight, so I quickly run over to the reactor and find the switch, lowering it and hearing the hum of the reactor die down. I sense two stormtroopers heading this direction, so I hide behind the reactor and wait for them to walk through the platform, hoping they are passing through and not standing guard.

After a few moments they do head out the other end, but only to stand guard at the entrance. If I move from behind the reactor they will see me, so I have to improvise a little. Using the force I take the communicator off of one of the troopers and throw it down the hall, making a clanking noise. Both stormtroopers look the other direction and begin scouting where the noise came from. I take this as my opportunity to escape, running out the opposite door to the one they stand near.

I let out a small breath of relief, glad that the shields are down for the others to escape. As I walk down this hallway, I sense a disturbance in the force, a familiar cold and dark presence that I have been dreading since I received the vision of this station. I dare to walk further down the hall, trying to emotionally prepare myself for the figure I know is waiting for me at the next turn.

As I make this turn, I see him. The last time I saw him, he was screaming in agony, he was left writhing on the ground in flames. Now he is standing before me, his entire body covered in a black suit, his body more metal now than flesh. His face is covered with a mask, making his breaths distorted, making his voice sound robotic. "We meet again, Obi Wan."

I try to ignore the dagger of pain driving into my heart. I try to see this dark figure as Darth Vader, as the Sith Lord who has caused so much suffering. But I can't. All I see is my former padawan, the brother that I failed.

"You should not have come back," Vader continues, his new saber casting a red glow over his glossy mask. "You are a fool to think you can beat me."

I shake my head, looking him up and down. "How far you have fallen, my old friend. Fallon would be so ashamed of you."

Vader freezes, the force around him swirling with pain, with sorrow as deep as the sorrow I feel. His voice however, his voice is filled with anger. His voice is low, dangerously low; "Don't. Speak. Her. Name."

"I was with her when she died. In her last moments she still believed that Anakin was still in there, underneath that mask. But it's impossible. If there was even a sliver of Anakin left, you could never do the vile things you do."

Vader's anger increases, his grip tightening on his lightsaber. "Leia Amidala won't escape, I'll kill her just as I will kill you. I will make sure the Jedi and the rebellion die once and for all."

I draw my own lightsaber, the blue glow now contrasting with his red saber. "As long as there are good people in this galaxy the light will never die. And if you strike me down, I shall become more powerful than you could is possibly imagine."

Vader does not waste anymore time. His mechanical breathing hitches as he launches himself my way and swings his lightsaber. I bring my own up to meet his, fighting my old padawan one last time.

-

Jayce

"So you came to rescue me and didn't come up with a way to escape?" Leia asks, shooting over my shoulder at one of the troopers still after us.