Darth Vader Goes to School

Vader vs. The Ghost

Obi-Wan hadn't expected to die. Well, not so soon. He'd expected to die in a few years after he'd finally had a chance to train Luke. But the boy had run off to attend some college Owen refused to tell him the name of. He suspected the two of them had gotten into a fight about Luke staying on Tatooine yet again, but Owen was tight lipped whenever it came to the boy. Which was good, of course, but not when the state of the galaxy depended on Obi-Wan preparing the boy for his birthright.

So he'd decided to wait. Surely Luke would return for the holidays at the end of the semester? If not then, perhaps for the summer time. At least, that had been his hope. What was one more year?

But then Vader was suddenly there, a presence of such cold rage that he hadn't even recognized his former pupil. His former brother.

And...well. He was old. As much as he tried to defend himself, he was no match for Vader. He'd spent eighteen years on a desert planet while Vader was out there daily fighting on the front lines. Even with all of his limbs and working lungs, Obi-Wan was no longer what he once was.

He should have left for Alderaan when Bail had offered to let him train Leia, because now he was dead. But he couldn't bring himself to be too upset with himself. Not more than usual. Luke had an innate goodness about him--in fact, he often reminded him more of Padme than Anakin on many occasions. It was as if the universe had stuffed all of the good qualities of both his parents into one body, and if the galaxy needed anyone, it was someone like that.

So upon death, Obi-Wan spent his time searching for Luke. After reuniting and greeting his old master, Qui-Gon, he'd reached into the vastness of the Force that now surrounded him, looking for the familiar bright presence he'd grown to know over the years.

Given that the Jedi were dead, and what Force sensitives were left were in hiding, unaware, or twisted into a servant of evil, it wasn't that hard to find him.

Eriadu.

Obi-Wan drifted there, not letting himself be seen. He simply observed, expecting to see Luke hard at work on his studies.

And...technically that was what he saw. But Luke wasn't alone. Another man, older, sat with him in what looked to be a mechanic's shop built for student use. They were in depth in a conversation, and Obi-Wan frowned, stroking his beard as he listened.

In the afterlife, the Force was so much more potent, so the fact that there was something... wrong with the situation, or rather, the man, was very obvious. But what? He seemed like an ordinary gentleman, if a bit awkward. But there was something about his presence...he was tense beyond all belief. Obi-Wan was certain he'd never met a more wound-up man in this entire life, including Anakin. And it was barely perceptible, but there was a pause before everything the man said.

Something was off.

He was a ghost. No one would notice unless he actively willed himself to be seen, and even then, the only person who would see him was Luke. So he moved closer to the man, deciding to get a good look at him.

Again, there was nothing super out of the ordinary. Just some serious bags under his eyes (did this man ever get any sleep? He thought skincare on Tatooine was bad). But then, getting really close, he...noticed something in the man's ear. Just out of sight from anyone in normal social distancing range.

But up close, he could tell it was an earpiece. And getting even closer, he could just barely hear--

The booming voice of Darth Vader.

He was so stunned, he almost didn't comprehend what was happening. Then, emotions slamming into him, he disappeared back into the Force, searching out the cold dark presence that he'd never really stopped feeling since that awful night eighteen years before, and headed straight for it.