Star Wars Oneshots

Collateral Damage (Misc)

A/N: okay this is platonic if you couldn't tell and also I made Anakin have one natural hand that didn't get burned off. Art above from 0tterp0p on tumblr.

Cody's Point of View

An Imperial officer passed CC-2224, who stood stiff as a statue outside a meeting room. Inside, Vader and ten higher-ups were meeting about something. He was ordered to stand there, and good soldiers follow orders. CC-2224 was a good soldier. CC-2224 followed orders.

He never flinched, even when he heard choking and sputtering coming from behind the door. More people had been strangled than Vader's average at this meeting. He seemed to be in a particularly bad mood, and as one of the only clone troopers still serving the Empire, CC-2224 was determined to survive as long as possible.

When Vader stormed out a few minutes later and only two meek people followed, CC-2224 made a face under his helmet. The other eight were dead or too incapacitated to leave.

"Follow," Vader growled in CC-2224's general direction. As he walked, he wondered. Did Vader have any people from his life before he became Vader? Did he even have memories? As a member of Vader's personal guard, CC-2224 liked to think he knew Vader better than most other people.

Still, as he followed Vader to wherever he was going, CC-2224 couldn't help but notice that everyone that passed him averted their eyes, as if they could sense his bad vibes. When a mouse droid crossed Vader's path, he used the Force to shove it away. It squeaked, and Vader suspended it in the air so he could crush it as he walked. Its squeaks slowly quieted as its lights faded out.

Vader threw it aside hard enough to dent the wall. He rounded the corner too fast and rammed his shoulder hard enough to bruise it, if it even was flesh. He had been in some sort of accident before he was Vader, something that made him spend long hours suspended in a bacta tank and twisted his breaths.

CC-2224 often wondered about Vader before he was Vader. Did he have friends? Did he date people? Was there anyone he left behind that he still thought about?

Vader was taking a rather roundabout way, but it was clear he was going to his quarters. It would be the same routine as every night before -- CC-2224 would be stationed just outside the room, the paper-thin walls revealing everything that went on inside.

Like how now, as CC-2224 stood motionless outside the door, things inside shattered and crashed and thudded. Vader never cried, not once. He might not even have been able to. He just got angry, furious, destroying anything and everything nearby until he was tired enough to forget whatever had happened.

Sometimes, CC-2224 had an odd feeling, like he had met Vader before. He couldn't put a finger on it. 

When a servant droid toddled into Vader's chambers holding something which was edible (in theory; food by Empire standards was more like protein mush). Two seconds later, the droid was flung out, mush spattered on its broken and sparking neck.

CC-2224 could feel his stomach turn over. Obviously, whatever Vader was feeling wasn't his fault, but maybe he should do something, before he became collateral damage. This anger was lasting longer than normal, and there was no spoken rule about entering Vader's quarters -- probably because he thought no one would be so stupid as to try.

CC-2224 rallied his nerves and took a deep breath, rolling his shoulders. Then he knocked on the door. "Lord Vader, sir? May I come in?" This is probably the stupidest thing I've ever done, CC-2224 thought, as all went quiet inside.

Instead of a response, the door unlocked and opened a crack, which CC-2224 took as an invitation to enter.

He pushed it open and walked into the room, which was dimly lit. Vader sat hunched over near a corner. Around him, various pieces of metal lay scattered, all in varying degrees of crushed.

Vader spoke first, which was surprising. "Let me see your face," he said, voice emotionless. Vader's voice modulator must have been broken, because instead of the usual deep, imposing tone, it was softer. More human.

CC-2224 raised his hands (which were shaking, much as he hated to admit) and took off his helmet, resting it on his hip. He willed himself not to do anything weird with his face as he stood at attention.

Vader slowly looked up, red lenses flashing in the light. He made no motion as he spoke, so it appeared he was being voiced over as he asked, with some amount of recognition in his voice, "Cody?"

Cody blinked. How did Vader know his name from before? He stayed silent, and Vader did not move or speak. Cody swayed a little on his feet -- he'd been standing basically the entire day and hadn't eaten since the night before. 

Vader pushed a mush packet at Cody, showing kindness when he could obviously sense Cody's discomfort. As Cody cautiously tore open the packet, Vader asked again, "Are you Cody?"

"Yes, sir."

"Why are you here, Cody?"

Cody fought to keep his throat from closing up with anxiety. He cut straight to the chase -- now or never. "Are you okay?"

"Am I ok?" Vader whispered, and Cody was sure he would be tugging at his hair if he had any left. Then he lifted his head again. "Am I ok?" he roared, face still obscured by the terrifying mask. "I don't know what year it is." He sighed, seeming to deflate. "I killed my wife on accident. All my limbs are gone... and Obi-Wan hates me." Vader said the last part in a whisper.

Then, Cody knew who Vader was... before. He was Anakin Skywalker. And he had fallen.

"Anakin."

Vader reached for his lightsaber. "Anakin Skywalker is dead. I killed him. I forced him from our body so long ago. He was always too good. Too kind. In the end, that was his downfall."

Cody stayed silent, watching Vader thumb over the activator switch on the saber, but slowly set it down on the cold metal floor with a soft clink.

And then Cody understood. "No, Anakin. Don't you see? You are still there. You are kind. Everyone has a Vader, but the Anakin in you is who you truly are. I miss you, Obi-Wan loves you, and if you come with me, we can find him together."

Anakin seemed to consider the offer for a moment, but then slouched a bit. "It would do no good," he replied miserably. "Palpatine can feel me through the Force and Obi-Wan would never take me back."

"Please, Anakin," Cody pleaded. "Give it a chance. Give Obi-Wan a chance." Even though I tried to kill him? Cody's brain asked, but he quickly shushed that part of him.

"Maybe," Anakin said quietly. Then, even softer, "Lay down with me?" Anakin asked hopefully. His body language said plainly, kriff I am touch-starved and sad so help me please.

The bed was wide, and Anakin took the left pillow without removing any of his armor. Cody took the right side, laying in all his armor (minus helmet) and staring at the ceiling.

Anakin put one arm in the middle of the bed -- the only limb with flesh. Cody reached out his hand and took Anakin's.

They would face the world together, one day.