Looking down, he saw Luke hanging from a bridge, grasping. Luke managed to pull himself up and took the time he had to recover from the experience.
"He's holding back against Luke.", Luminara observed with a frown. "His connection to the force, adding to his experience made him a powerful pawn of the Sith.
...
Yoda and the rest thought over. This was the man who destroyed the Jedi Order and the one who bested Anakin Skywalker, Obi-Wan Kenobi and Ahsoka Tano. Luke, being the son of the Chosen One, was seen by Vader as a prime candidate in becoming his apprentice.
Back up top, Leia shot another Stormtrooper, forcing the ones following them to take cover before she took off again after Chewie and Lando.
The trio and Artoo crammed into an elevator, losing their pursuers for a moment. Getting out, they ran for the landing pad that housed the Falcon. Lando cursed when he couldn't get the door open.
"The security code's been changed." he growled.
"Artoo! You can tell the computer to override the security systems." Threepio said.
As Artoo set to work, Lando walked over to an intercom and activated an all channels broadcast.
"Attention, this is Lando Calrissian." he said, his voice echoing all over the city, "Attention. The Empire has taken control of the city. I advise everyone to leave before more Imperial troops arrive."
"So he has a conscience and cares about his associates." Shaak Ti said,
Electricity ran up the plug Artoo was using to talk to the city computer. He made several strange noises as he shook with what appeared to be pain.
"Come on, alternate route." Lando said, taking the lead.
"Well, don't blame me." Threepio told Aetoo, "I'm only an interpreter. I'm not supposed to know a power socket from a computer terminal." Artoo responded with several rude-sounding noises.
The halls of Cloud City were filled with people running about in panic, making for perfect cover as the trio made their way the long way around to the ship.
This time, there was a proper computer terminal for Artoo to work his magic on. Meanwhile, Leia, Chewie and Lando held off the increasing number to Imperial troops gathering at their position.
Still smoking from earlier, Artoo bleeped something while she worked.
"AH!" Threepio yelled in alarm, "We're not interested in the Millennium Falcon's hyperdive. It's fixed! Just open the door! There's more of them!"
"Can't things get any better." Caleb groaned.
Artoo whistled loudly as the door began to rise.
"Oh! I never doubted you for a second. Wonderful!"
"I am done with him." Plo Koon said, "Please tell me we won't have to deal with him for the rest of the holovid."
Lando had to physically pull Leia away as Artoo created a smokescreen to cover their escape. They ran across the landing platform without cover, dodging blaster bolts that impacted upon the Falcon.
Chewie went in first, placing Threepio on the ground outside the cockpit before she began the start-up cycle, while Lando and Leia found some cover behind the landing gear.
"Leia!" Lando yelled out, "Go! I'll cover you!"
"I thought that hairy beast would be the end of me." Threepio said as Artoo pulled him across the floor into the common room. Artoo beeped a comment. "Of course I've looked better."
The Millennium Falcon took off just as the rest of the stormtroopers made their way onto the platform, still firing on the ship.
"But what about Luke?!", Ahsoka exclaimed.
"They'll get to him, Snips.", Anakin assured her. "I'm sure of it..."
Within the bowels of Cloud City, Luke had returned to his feet and took in his surroundings. He didn't know what he was walking on, but he knew it was not a safe place to fight like he had been.
He found a doorway around a corner ahead of him and went through, lightsaber ready to go. He felt Vader's attack coming, the Dark Lord slashing down at where he was going. Luke jumped back and activated his blade, holding it defensively.
As he blocked a fresh series of attacks by Vader, he realized that his opponent had changed to a far more aggressive fighting style. He was pushed back out onto the catwalk, dodging Vader's hammerblows to save his strength and letting them impact on the walls around him with a shower of sparks.
"Vader's changed his style." Plo Koon noticed. "He's has become more aggressive with his Form."
"That could be a good for Luke." Obi-Wan pointed out. "Aggression usually means a reliance on power over technique, which can lead to fatal mistakes."
"It only becomes an advantage if you last long enough to find gaps to exploit." Kit Fisto said.
He managed some offense once or twice, but Vader blocked and countered each time, pushing Luke back constantly. They locked blades, only to Vader to push him onto her back, blade at his throat.
"You are beaten." His opponent said calmly, "It is useless to resist. Don't let yourself be destroyed as Obi-Wan did."
Luke responded by batting the red blade aside and getting to his feet as Vader slashed down at where he had been. He blocked one strike, dodged another, struck at Vader's shoulder, was blocked, dodged another strike and struck Vader in the shoulder with a shower of sparks.
"Unh!" Vader grunted in pain before snarling back. He slashed back at Luke in a rage, but the young man had gone over the ledge. They locked blades again, but Vader spun his lightsaber, cutting off Luke's hand just above the wrist. With a yell, Luke fell to his knees, hand still gripping the railing for balance.
"LUKE!", Anakin shouted, now furious against the Dark Lord. Obi-Wan and the rest grimaced at the sight, seeing that Luke had shared his father's pain.
"Luke is on the ropes...", Kit Fisto grimly commented. "This cannot be good for him..."
"There is no escape." Vader told him. "Don't make me destroy you."
At every turn, Anakin's rage began to rise at seeing his being harmed in a cruel manner. Obi-Wan and Padmé did what they could to calm him, with no effect.
Carefully, Luke began to back up along the thin beam he was crouched on. "Luke, you do not yet realize your importance. You have only begun to discover your power. Join me, and I will complete your training. With our combined strength, we can end this destructive conflict and bring order to the galaxy."
The Jedi frowned and despised that idea. They didn't want their last hope to fall under the rule of the Sith, an enemy they had failed disperse.
"I'll never join you!" Luke defiantly declared as he reached a pylon at the end on the metal beam.
Vader stretched his hand out to Luke. "If only you knew the power of the Dark Side. Obi-Wan never told you what happened to your father."
"He told me enough." Luke said angrily, running mostly on adrenaline. "He told me you kill him."
"No...", Vader replied. "...I am your father!"
The audience gasped very loudly, as they felt like a tidal wave coming down to them as all were shocked, horrified, dismayed, and angered at the revelation. Anakin widened his eyes, his body trembling at every second that pass...
"SKYWALKER?!", Mace exclaimed in complete outrage and disbelief.
"Skyguy...", Ahsoka began, her heart beating faster, remembering her future encounter with him. "...is a Sith Lord?"
"Anakin...", Obi-Wan tried to accept the revelation before them but his conscience and his bond with him continued to deny this, remembering the very memory where he was slain by Vader. "It...can't be..."
"General?", Rex uttered, horrified that the friend he so admired came to this. "...how?"
"No...No...", Anakin fell to his knees, his mental stability deteriorating as the words of the Dark Lord echoed in his head. "That can't be me...that can't be me..."
"No." Luke said, clinging to the pylon as though it were his sanity made manifest, "That's not true. That's impossible!"
"Search your feelings. You know it to be true." Vader insisted.
"NOOOOOOOO!" Luke wailed.
"NO!", Anakin held his head as he screamed in despair at the ceiling, with tears flowing from his eyes. He can't be this monster in front of them. He would never harm Luke or any of his friends.
But his feelings toward truth said otherwise and he began to sob uncontrollably.
"I- it's not true." Padmé said, with tears threatening to from from her eyes. "Vader had to be lying! That's what the Sith do right?"
"No...I do not think he is...", Shaak Ti uttered reluctantly..
...
Hey guys I would really appreciate it if you could throw some power stones to help elevate the ranking.
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