THE FORCE WITHIN
© November 2017 Written by David Wicker
Please do not reprint without permission
CHAPTER 26 - "Payback"
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This entry is Rated: EVERYONE
Leia took leave of Luke and Han as they returned to their furry mounts back by the door. Their mission now was very clear, to silence the alien artifact from attracting any more attention than it already had.
"You got your light saber?" Han asked Luke.
Luke nodded, whipping his winter cloak up a bit to show the handle protruding from the right side of his belt.
"Good." Han said. "We're going to need it I think."
The large metal door opened again and for some strange reason it seemed even colder than before as the icy winds blasted against Han and Luke.
This was all in their imagination of course. Being subjected to it the first time their bodies did not know how to interpret the temperature. Being back in the warm base if only for less than an hour made their bodies especially susceptible to the biting cold.
Both Luke and Han shivered despite being bedecked back in their earlier winter regalia.
They urged their mounts forward, pushing them hard this time, to make fast progress to the artifact and silence it forever.
. . .
Back on the Star Destroyer, we see Smite in his own room. Completely spartan of any wall decorations or art of any kind. He was on his bed sitting on his knees in a position of deep meditation.
He was murmuring words too but none could be made out. It was clear something was agitating him by the way he kept jerking his head left and right despite his eyes being shut fast.
Vader back in his quarters was having no such difficulties. He locked the door behind him, took off his helmet and regarded himself in the mirror. His bleached white misshapen head filled the mirror as a horrible visage, a tribute given to him by being literally burned alive from the molten hot lava he was abandoned to by his previous Jedi teacher.
Vader removed his metallic black gloves and regarded his left mechanical hand counterposing his human right. He clenched both of them together and made a low noise in the back of his throat.
In seconds a visible purple light surrounding them. A strange sound emanated from the light, like a low and threatening warble that you felt more than actually hear. Vader released his hands and the purple light flung apart with an audible and scary popping sound.
Vader's silhouette was seen in the dim light and you could see him remove his armor and finally climb into his bed.
His dreams were fitful and disturbed. He turned his head left and right uncomfortably. Voices echoed in his mind from the past. "Anakin" the voice called. "Anakin" even louder.
"Anakin !" the voice fairly shouted.
Vader's eyes opened wide to stare straight ahead yet somehow he was still in a very deep sleep.
"You were the chosen one !" the voice yelled in an eerie echo.
* * *
"It was said that you would destroy the Sith, not join them !"
"Bring balance to the force ! Not leave it in darkness !"
"You were my brother, Anakin."
"My brother ... brother ... brother ..." the voice echoed in Vader's mind.
Suddenly he jerked up quite awake. "Obi-Wan." he said simply in rage.
. . .
Back in Smite's quarters, Smite was still in a deep trance, meditating. With his eyes still closed he suddenly leapt off of the bed in true ninja style, picked up his staff in one deft movement and smashed it against the wall.
The wall itself revealed several nicks and gashes, all in the exact same place where Smite apparently tested himself for accuracy, despite keeping his eyes perfectly shut.
"It will be done." he said finally, opening his eyes and seeing that as before he hit exactly on the mark he chose.
He donned his cloak and exited the room.
. . .
Back with Han and Luke they had approached the artifact again, and this time the very ground reverberated with its activity.
Luke shook his head. "There's no way the Empire could miss this."
Han nodded, "You got that right, kid. Think you can disable it ?"
Luke dismounted from his Taun-Taun. "Yeah. Let me see for a minute."
He walked to the outcropping steel, moving his hand along the side with his eyes closed.
It was clear that Luke had gained some degree of the Force since his initial training with Obi-Wan before Vader cut him down back on the Death Star.
"Here." Luke said simply, touching one part of the metal casing of the massive artifact.
Han nodded and held out his hand for Luke to begin.
Luke pulled out his light saber very professionally, whirled the glowing blue blade around expertly and jabbed it straight down into the artifact. The blade neatly cut through the metal with no difficulty making an awful hissing and screaming sound as the metal was parted in two from the invulnerable laser blade.
Luke moved the shaft forward slightly, then to the left, then back up again. The ground vibrations ceased. Luke had disabled the device without detonating it.
He returned back to Han with a smile on his face but Han was preoccupied with something else.
"What is it ?" Luke asked.
"Meteors, so it would seem. But I think we need to investigate to make sure."
Han turned his wrist communicator around to show Luke. "Look, you take that side of the canyon and I'll take this. Let's meet back here at 17 hundred. Remember to refer to me by my call sign as we will both be out of visible range of each other."
Luke nodded and urged his mount forward to the site of the first meteor.
. . .
Back on the Star Destroyer, Vader was awakened by a signal from his door. Someone wanted his attention.
"I'll strip him of his life !" Vader growled and quickly donned his suit and helmet.
His door opened and the sinister figure of Vader appeared. "This had better be important." he growled taking full advantage of the voice modifier to make his menacing threat sound even deeper in pitch.
Standing outside his door was Smite, smiling slightly.
"I gave some thought to what you said earlier, Vader. And thought we might talk a little more."
Vader was surprised to see Smite. Usually after he had "drained" someone's mind of their information in this way they were incapacitated for the rest of the day. The fact that Smite appeared awake and alert after his probe was a puzzle to him.
"Come in." he said friendly enough, more interested in knowing how Smite had strength after the ordeal he put him through.
Smite entered and clicked his metallic staff along the ground to his footsteps.
Vader went to a food server and turning his head asked, "Can I interest you in a drink ?"
Smite shook his head.
"What brings you here ?" then Vader asked, completely curious now.
"I have a problem." Smite said simply. "No-one in the galaxy knows who I am or where I came from. I went to great pains through this life to maintain my anonymity. Now you know everything about me."
Vader sat in the chair opposite and nodded for Smite to continue.
Smite stood up and lifted his metallic staff at the ready. "I cannot have this, so it is with deepest regrets that I must to kill you, lord Vader."
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