Room 317 [after dark and NFB]

[tatooine_doofus]

Luke had spent every waking moment since the vision on Tuesday trying to get in touch with Leia on her comm.

And getting nothing but static in return.

It never even occurred to him to leave a message on the Falcon for her.

Now he was perched on the top of his desk, staring out into the darkness with slightly bleary eyes, still hitting the redial.

[OOC: Locked to darthbanthabell, and the images, they won't be happy...]

Everybody's Gotta Learn Sometimes - Beck

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[sith_happened]

In his office, Vader took a deep breath and mentally steeled himself for the images he was going to have to relive.

But this wouldn't work if it didn't feel real...

He reached back for one of the most painful memories of his life, found Skywalker's mind through the Force, and gave him a modified version of events at the Temple.

[tatooine-doofus.livejournal.com]

The comlink dropped from Luke's hands as he was barraged with a vision of Vader in Fandom, standing on an outcrop of rocks above the town, clearly waiting for something.

A troop of the stormtroopers Luke had seen at Halloween approached him, bowing their heads. "We are yours to command, Lord Vader," the commander said. "What are your orders?"

Vader began walking towards the school. "I must retrieve Luke Skywalker," he growled. "My master commands it. Kill all who stand in your way."

[sith_happened]

Vader pushed back the feelings of nausea and continued with the vision.

The boy must feel that had no choice but to confront him, to leave the safety of the dorms.

[tatooine-doofus.livejournal.com]

Luke's mouth went dry as he watched Vader stalked implacably towards the gates of the school, the troopers in file behind him. The Sith Lord's hand flew out and the gate ripped off of its hinges.

Students on the lawn began fleeing and were mown down by blaster fire.

"Skywalker!" Vader roared.

Luke wondered, as he fought back the urge to throw up, if he was about to watch himself die.

"You don't get to go near him," a firm voice said, and Luke whimpered.

"Aeryn, no," he whispered.

The vision continued relentlessly on.

Aeryn pulled out her pulse rifle and fired straight at Vader, who put his hands up and deflected the shots easily.

Then ignited his lightsaber and stalked towards her. Luke swallowed hard and tried to close his eyes, to avoid seeing what he knew was about to happen.

It didn't work. Aeryn crumpled onto the lawn like Leia had a few days before.

"SKYWALKER!"

[sith_happened]

Vader flinched at the pain and grief that Skywalker was feeling--the boy was strong in the Force--but didn't let up. There was one more person that needed to be included to guarantee that Skywalker would react correctly.

Beneath the mask, Vader closed his eyes, summoned all of the pain and rage and helplessness of those first terrible days as a Sith, and gave his son a vision he would never forget.

[tatooine-doofus.livejournal.com]

Luke gasped aloud as he recognized the slender figure emerging from the front of the door.

"Stop it!" Rory snapped as she stalked towards Vader. "You don't get to touch him."

Vader moved closer, lightsaber still lit. "You don't get to stop me," he growled.

"You wouldn't hurt me," she said, eyes very wide as she looked up at him.

Vader paused for a split second. "You're wrong," he whispered, then lashed out with the weapon.

She didn't have a chance.

"NO!" Luke shouted as the vision finally ended.

He had to stop this. Now. He'd go up that cliff and wait for weeks if necessary. No one was going to die for him.

[sith_happened]

Vader tried to regain control of himself as he severed the connection with Skywalker.

He would do what must be done. And no one...not even Rory...could stand in his way.

A Sith had no use for such ridiculous connections.

He stood up and began to head for the cliffs he'd shown to Skywalker in the vision.

He would do what must be done.

That sentence repeated over and over in his head.

Vader wished he could believe it.

[tatooine-doofus.livejournal.com]

Luke reached for the phone and dialed Rory's number, then Aeryn's, and left messages.

Then he took a couple of shuddering breaths, trying to calm down, and headed towards the weapons locker.

It was time to confront Vader.