The Unseen

Chapter 1 - Vader's Trail

Author's Note: This was inspired by a similar fanfic where Luke and Obi-Wan (who didn't die in ANH) find Vader trying to kill himself via a Sith ritual... Yeah, I know it's dark, but I promise it'll get better! :)

~ Amina Gila

It was supposed to work. He would finally be free from the world, and Sidious wouldn't be able to stop him. Ten years. It's been ten long years since the Empire was formed, and Darth Vader is completely tired of it all. No matter how severely damaged he is in battle, Sidious orders the medical droids to patch him up again. It would have been better had he been left to die on Mustafar. This – his existence – it's all pointless now, but nothing he ever does seems to end it.

It's poetic in a sense that the ending be here. He arose from the ashes of Anakin Skywalker on the bank of a lava river on Mustafar, so it's only fitting that he ends it all here, on this very same planet. Vader sits cross-legged on his bed. The three rooms in this part of his castle were designed specifically to allow him to live outside of his life-support suit for an indefinite period of time. It's the only time he can actually feel human.

The relic hovers in the air in front of him, its soundless song drawing him in, alluring in all its dark power. He uses the Force to move it to a nearby table before laying back on the bed. This is it. It's really the end, and he can't say he's not relieved. Whatever happens now doesn't really matter. If his body is kept alive, then he'll continue to exist in a paradise of his own choosing for eternity. Sidious – no one – can rob him of this last thing.

He stares up at the ceiling for a moment, before closing his eyes and reaching out towards the relic. It eagerly pulls him in, deeper both into it and his own mind. Vader inhales slowly, feeling the air expand his damaged lungs before exhaling. He lets go, spiraling downward into the darkness's welcoming arms.

***

"I hate to ask this of you," Bail Organa murmurs softly, "But if Vader is really in a coma or otherwise disabled, it would be in the best interests of everyone that he be eliminated. I know the task is difficult, but I have faith that you will succeed."

Obi-Wan Kenobi glances at his grand-Padawan, Ahsoka Tano, before turning back to Bail. "I understand," he answers. "We will investigate."

"I don't think this is wise," Ahsoka states flatly as soon as Obi-Wan disconnects the commlink.

"Nor do I," he admits, "But Bail is right." The least they can do is take a look, even if Obi-Wan loathes the thought of running into Vader. He doesn't want to see him again, though he knows an eventual meeting is inevitable. He had thought it would be longer. Besides, there's a part of him that wants to know what happened. For almost a week now, he's sensed disturbances coming from the Force bond he has long since buried. Though he has chosen not to investigate, he cannot hide his unease that something is majorly wrong.

"Then, let's go," Ahsoka replies with resignation as she fires up the engines. "I just hope we won't regret this."

"As do I," Obi-Wan agrees, staring out the viewport as they lift into the air, soon exiting the atmosphere before making the jump to hyperspace. He covered up all his trails. When Bail had contacted him, he'd carefully erased all traces leading him back to Tatooine. Even if he's captured, Luke will remain safe.

As the ship begins the flight to Mustafar, Obi-Wan settles down to try and meditate. Ever since he first felt the disturbance, he's found himself unable to meditate or find a sense of calm. He's been inexplicably worried, something he's been ruthlessly suppressing. Vader destroyed Anakin. He shouldn't be concerned for his wellbeing. Vader is a monster, not the boy he raised.

"We have all the available information," Ahsoka tells him some time later, gently pulling him out of his meditation – or attempted meditation. "It's very scant, which isn't surprising. We'll have to rely on our instincts and cloak ourselves well."

Obi-Wan nods in agreement. As he looks at her, he can see how grown-up she is. She's no longer the child he remembers. She's an adult now, and a force to be reckoned with in battle. He taught her well, better than Obi-Wan ever could have. "We should expect resistance when we emerge from hyperspace," he warns her. "We can use the Force to sense Vader's presence and see if he's there." All the rumors say he is, and something is clearly wrong with him.

"I'll be ready," she reassures him. "I hope he's in a position where we can eliminate him."

Obi-Wan diverts his gaze. She doesn't know. He should tell her, but does it really matter? Yes. It does. This is – he'll be asked to kill him for the second time. Ten years in exile haven't changed his mind. He couldn't do it on Mustafar, and he'll never be able to do it now. "I think that the situation is a bit more complicated than we're expecting," he comments lightly.

She looks at him, taking in his expression and posture. "What is it, Master Obi-Wan?" she asks quietly. "I can tell something is bothering you."

He swallows, unable to meet her gaze, eyes aimlessly roaming around the main hold of the ship. He should tell her, but he doesn't know how. How can he even tell her something like that? She needs to know. He knows she wouldn't be able to do what he couldn't. They're going there because Bail asked, but Obi-Wan has his doubts the man really understood what he was asking. He doesn't know what happened before. He probably assumed that Obi-Wan had failed when Yoda sent him after Vader the first time.

And they can't kill Vader this time either. If he dies, it won't be by their hands. He can't do it. He should – he's told himself for years that Vader destroyed Anakin, but the actual thought of doing the act tears at him. "Vader," he murmurs quietly, unable to voice the truth. Not yet. "Something bad is happening with him."

She gives him a puzzled look. "How do you know?"

"I feel it," he whispers, voice strained. "It was – I should have broken the bond," he finally confesses, defeated. "I shouldn't have – I can't –" He finally gives up trying to explain, letting her make of it what she will.

"You have a bond with him?" she queries, tone hushed, confusion pouring off her in waves. "I don't –" She cuts herself off, an expression of horror on her face. "Oh Force, no," she breathes. "Please tell me it's not – not Anakin."

Obi-Wan closes his eyes, unable to either confirm or deny it. The heavy burden he's been bearing for years crushing in its intensity. Anakin – his Anakin – is gone, and Vader is not him. He knows why the Jedi forbid attachments – for him, they've always been his biggest weaknesses, and he's willing to let Vader live because of it. He shouldn't. It's wrong to let him live but killing him would be worse. He already broke himself once, and there's nothing left to break again except maybe his connection to the living world.

His silence answers her question more effectively than words ever could. He can feel her pain, shock, disbelief, and understanding hovering around them through the Force. "What happened?" she demands desperately, sinking down to the floor.

"I don't know," he admits, voice shaking far more than he would have liked. He shakes his head slowly, swallowing past the sudden lump in his throat. "I really don't know."

They sit there, a heavy silence hanging between them. "I can't believe it," Ahsoka finally mumbles, expression distant. "I knew something happened, but I never would have expected that. What will we do?"

"What we were sent to do, of course," he answers simply.

"We can't kill him!" Ahsoka whisper shouts, looking at him incredulously.

A mirthless laugh escapes him. "I know. I tried once before, and it didn't end well."

"The armor – that happened in the fight with you?" she inquires hesitantly, expression betraying how little she really wants to know.

"I – yes," he admits, though the words are torture to say aloud. "Yes, it did."

Ahsoka lets out a long breath, turning away to stare at nothing, obviously lost in her own thoughts. Obi-Wan tries to ignore his own doubts about everything which has transpired. He refuses to question if it was necessary – questions like that are too painful and completely pointless. Instead, he forces himself to consider how they could break past the security, for he has no doubt that the castle is well fortified. He's still considering the question when they emerge from hyperspace.