The conversation with Luke replayed over and over in his mind. The amount of panic in his son's voice was enough to send a chill through his body. Vader kept trying to reach back out to the boy, but was met with no response. How could he have been so incompetent as to not have seen through Vindi's trick. He should have known better than to assume the cameras had not been tampered with by the cunning scientist! Hearing sounds echo down the hall he sped up his pace. As he careened around a corner he had to quickly dodge left to avoid running into Artoo.

"Where is my son? Where has Vindi taken him?" He demanded quickly.

The droid talked right over him though, throwing out a string of sounds. Vader listened intently and his eyes turned to narrow slits. The man had his son, as he suspected, and wanted to meet with him, "Artoo, I have a task for you. You will go back to the ship and keep the engines on and be sure to stay tuned to my com channel. We may be in need of a quick getaway. I am going after my son."

Artoo began rolling away before he stopped and swiveled his head to face him, chirping out one final, brief statement.

Be safe.

Nodding, Vader found himself replying, "You as well." Then both man and droid were off, parting ways at the next junction. He would not fail his son, he would make it there on time, and Vindi would pay dearly.

He knew exactly the place Artoo had told him to go. It was the main chamber where all the major components involved in the cloning machine resided. Fortunately the room was not terribly far from where he currently was.

He could feel his son's force presence growing stronger. He was so close. Vindi deserved a slow, agonizing death for so much as touching his child!

Vader could not come to understand why Vindi would be foolish enough to want to meet him. Why not just take his son and flee? Something was not adding up and he planned on getting to the bottom of it.

At last he saw the entrance to the room. He slowed his pace and entered with blaster in hand. The area was large and filled with various, long dead machines. The floor turned into a catwalk with a dangerous drop on each side and went down the center of room until it opened up on the opposite end where multiple clear containers of liquid sat. Whatever substance was in them had long gone bad and was probably highly toxic now. Machinery was attached to the walls and climbed down them until they disappeared down into the darkness below. But Vader barely paid heed to any of this. For on the center of the catwalk was Vindi holding his unconscious son.

The scientist had a firm grip on a blaster; Vader immediately recognized it as the one he had given Luke. He also took note that the right side of Vindi's arm had clearly been grazed; most likely a curtesy of his son.

"So you have finally arrived. It has been a while hasn't it…Anakin Skywalker." The Dark Lord did not let his surprise show on his face, instead he simply gripped his blaster tighter. Vindi continued, his smug expression growing, "Oh but you don't go by that anymore do you? Now it's Darth Vader, the right hand to the Emperor himself."

Vader had not known exactly what to expect from this encounter, but Vindi knowing the link between his current and past identity had not been something he had even considered as a possibility! How had this man found out such information? Very few remained in the galaxy who knew of the pathetic life he had led before becoming Darth Vader. This man may be skilled in the ways of science, but that did not explain how Vindi had come across information so secretive.

"How do I know? Oh I can practically see the question bouncing around in that head of yours. It's quite simple really. This precious little boy told me. Under the influence of that drug I gave him the first time we met he began babbling all sorts of information to me with just a little bit of prodding. His actual age, where he was born, things about his father…All it took was connecting the dots and even the most idiotic of beings could have figured out both you and the boy's story."

The wicked smirk that was on the Faust's face had Vader's blood boiling.

"Yes, a tragic story really. A child growing up wanting nothing more than his father to come and reclaim him. A father who did not even know of his son existed. Yes, yes, tragic indeed."

He was through listening to this! Vader ripped the cloak off and cast it aside, "Give me the boy, Vindi."

"Why Skywalker, you don't look a day older than the last time we encountered each other. You should really thank my genius for that! Hayayayaya!" he laughed with wild eyes. Vader held up the blaster and the scientist stopped, "I would not do that if I were you. I carry something that is valuable to the both of us. Shoot me and I will just take him down over the edge with me." He held his own blaster against the child's head.

Vader grinded his teeth together, but did not lower his weapon, "What did you come here for, Vindi."

"A good question my angry friend. I came to Kamino seeking that." He pointed the blaster at a cylinder shaped gadget attached to the wall, it was half the size of him, "I am sure you are wondering what it is. Well allow me to enlighten you, it is an amplifier. It was once used to enhance the cloning process so the Kaminoans could create dozens of clones at once! I plan on attaching it to my regression machine to enlarge its signal to affect an entire planet! My employer will then be so pleased with my genius and I will have enough credits to fund whatever research I desire!"

So he had an employer? Who would have the means and reason to create such a weapon?

"And why did you want to converse with me?"

"I have a proposition for you. A very good proposition. You want your son so he can, how did the boy put is, rule the galaxy with you and I need him to study so I can further understand the effects of my machine. I knew if I were to take your son and run it would only be matter of time before you found me. So here is what I suggest. If I offer you something you will let me do a little, harmless research on Skywalker junior."

"You have nothing to offer me." Vader snarled.

"That is where you are wrong. I, Dr. Nuvo Vindi, with just a microscopic bit of adjusting can make my machine regress your son's mind to match that of his current form's age." Vader stared at the man, "You could raise the child you never had the chance to. Mold his mind how you see fit."

The chance to start over…completely. Luke would stay by his side, grow up once again under his watch, and become powerful in the dark side of the force. Everything would be how it should have been.

"A child's undying trust is such a gift would you not agree?" Vindi said, tracing the blaster's barrel along the blonde's face, "And you don't have to wait. I have my brilliant invention on my ship just outside."

Vader slowly lowered the blaster, "And what you seek to do with Luke…will not harm him?"

Vindi eye's opened wide in a crazed way and he grinned, "Not at all. You may oversee all the tests if you so desire. It seems we have reached an understanding."

But Luke…growing up under his guidance, it would change him. He would grow to be someone else. Would it be worth losing the boy he had come to know and understand since the crash landing? But did he not wish to change that boy now? Why was he feeling such conflict?

"It appears we have." Vader said quietly.

"Ah good, good. To cement the agreement, I say we both dispose of our blasters."

Vader nodded. Both men carefully watched the other as each tossed their weapon over the ledge. That was an idiotic move. The man was a fool if he really thought a Sith needed to rely on a weapon to harm someone.

"Now, I suggest you hand my son over to me."

"Of course, I just have one favor to ask first. Could you use your -how would you say- special abilities to collect the amplifier from the wall there?"

Vader examined the object before he carefully walked onto the catwalk. When he was a foot away from Vindi, he faced the large cylinder and held up his hand. The object began to shake, but before it came loose Vader spun on his heel and with great speed retrieved his lightsaber from where it was hidden under his clothes. Shifting his focus of the force, he wretched Luke out of Vindi's arms and into his own open one. Igniting the ruby blade, he swiftly cut off the man's arm off before he had a chance to react.

"You are as ignorant as ever Vindi." Pulling the blade back he plunged it forward into the Faust's chest causing the man to gasp in pain, "You shall pay with your life for using my son as a test subject."

"I-I thought we-" Vindi cringed as his body shook with pain, "You did not -ngh- think I would be foolish enough to -gruh- leave m-myself unarmed around a force user."

Before Vader could blink the man pulled out a blaster with his remaining hand and clumsily fired. The laser ricocheted off the wall behind the Dark Lord and ultimately collided with one of the liquid containers, shattering it! With great hast the Dark Lord pulled the saber out of the Faust's chest and leapt backwards. The bubbling substance sprayed everywhere, including on Vindi's back causing the man to howl and fall to the ground, dropping his blaster.

A machine some of the liquid landed on began to violently spark. Before either knew it the piece of equipment caught fire and exploded shortly after. The fire seemed to jump from one machine to another. The room shook as yet another machine exploded. Somehow in the matter of a minute the room had become an inferno. Vader had to get Luke out of their before the entire room went up in a mass explosion.

Extinguishing his blade, Vader snapped his head back to Vindi when the man started to chuckle then loudly laugh, almost to the point of screaming, "This is it! When that fire climbs all the way down these walls to the central core this whole facility will go up in flames and we all will die!"

Luke stirred in his arms; they had to get out of there. He took off running out of the room, Vindi's mad laughter echoing down the halls.

"Father? Ow." Luke slowly reached for the back of his head. Vader ignored him as he concentrated fully on reaching the exit. There was a loud explosion and the lights went completely out, plunging them both into darkness. Now Luke was fully awake and gripping the front of his shirt tightly, "Father, what's happening."

The infrared lenses of his helmet would be highly useful now. Reigniting his lightsaber, the blade dully lit the area around them. They continued forward hearing several more loud bangs that shook the building.

"What's going on? Where's Vindi?"

"Dead. Now hush!"

Suddenly the area began steadily getting brighter. That was not good.

"Father!" Luke pulled himself to look over his father's shoulder, "Fire!?"

Vader could feel the heat on the back of his neck as whatever had exploded and sent a wave of fire through the corridors approached the two quickly. There was no way they could outrun that, it would maul over them in a matter of seconds! Luke lifted his hand and slammed it down. Behind him, Vader heard the sound of a blast door coming down. Luke had used the force to lower it, saving them. Another explosion shook the place causing a light fixture to crash to the floor. Vader stumbled, but regained his balance.

The whole circumstance felt very familiar. It was almost parallel to the situation when they were in the forest on Adana.

"We have almost reached the exit!" holding his wrist com up to his mouth Vader continued, "Artoo, prepare for takeoff!"

The droids voice beeped back over the speaker.

A piece of the ceiling chose that moment to cave in front of them, blocking their path. He and his son merely looked at each other before nodding in silent understanding. Both held out their hands and used the force to levitate the debris and slid underneath before releasing their hold of it.

"There it is! The way out!" Luke pointed to the exit as the Sith powered off his saber once more. Vader nearly slipped on the floor that had accumulated an inch or so of water from the storm that was happening outside.

Thunder clapped loudly in the sky as they stepped out of the facility. Vader squinted to see their ship through the sideways rain and carefully ran towards its lowering ramp, passing Vindi's ship. He then stopped and hesitated as his mind briefly wondered to the regression machine that he knew lay inside the scientist's vessel. If he collected it he could get his smartest team of researchers to engineer something that could age Luke back up. It would give great joy to Luke, but what about him?

The ground beneath them threateningly rumbled.

"Father, what are you waiting for!" Luke hollered over the waves.

Vader shook his head and hurriedly crossed the rest of the way to their ship. Leaping inside he smashed the button to close the door.

"Get us out of here now!" He yelled to the droid.

Artoo squealed and engaged the lift off sequence. The ship shook as the ground below them began to crumble. Not a second to soon the ship was sky bound. Vader took a deep breath and gave himself a moment to recline against the wall, Luke still in his grip. Both remained there in silence catching their breaths and allowing their minds to process what had just happened. More specifically he was thinking about the opportunity he had just forfeited.

"That was close." Luke said, wiping the dripping bangs out of his eyes.

"Indeed." Vader shifted his hold on Luke. Both of their clothes were drenched from their brief sprint through the rain. That would have to be rectified.

The astromech rolled over to them carrying two towels on one of its extensions. Luke smiled down at the droid, "I'm glad to see you made it out of there okay, Artoo."

"I assume you have placed the ship on auto-pilot?" he asked reaching down to take both towels. The droid whistled a yes, "Good."

"…You can put me down now, you know."

After the near close call they had had, Vader wanted to do no such thing. It was some irrational feeling he had that as long as he held the boy he could protect him. But he simply nodded and placed him on the ground, handing him one of the cloths.

Upon being placed on his feet Luke wobbled a little, but remained upright. The boy shook his head slightly which Vader raised a brow at, but said nothing about.

Both began wiping the excess water off of them.

Artoo buzzed a comment directed specifically at him. Vader listened and immediately turned towards his son with a reprimanding look.

"Your droid has informed me that you were dealt a serious hit to the back of your head. Twice."

Luke's eyes slightly widened and he shot Artoo a very nasty look.

"Turn around." He demanded folding his arms across his chest.

"It's really not that big of a deal, I've had worse. But I really want to know what I missed back there. Like what happened to Vindi?"

"Luke, do not make me repeat myself."

His son looked ready to argue, but wisely did not. Instead he turned around and sarcastically grumbled, "Thanks a lot, Artoo."

The Dark Lord kneeled down behind his child and gently began digging his hand through the blond strands until he found two large lumps that were a deep shade of purple. Luke winced as he accidently brushed against one.

Vindi deserved a more painful death.

Carefully placing a hand on the injury he drew from his anger and used the force to perform a healing technique. The healing arts had never been one of his specialties. He had improved his skills somewhat when attempting to use them to heal his damaged body years ago. An attempt which ultimately proved to be useless.

"How do you feel?" with his son's body in a more fragile state it was likely he had a concussion. His force healing would only reduce the swelling and take away some of the pain, but not completely rid Luke of the injury.

"A bit dizzy and my head is slightly achy, but otherwise I am fine." He shrugged. That explained why the boy was unsteady on his feet, "Now please tell me what happened."

Luke had absolutely no patience.

"Sit down first before you fall over. I believe you have a mild concussion, you are going to need rest."

Luke shook his head, but immediately stopped when he had to regain his balance, "I will as soon as you tell me what happened."

Vader let out a heavy sigh at the boy's stubbornness, "After Vindi captured you he met with me and tried to negotiate a deal over allowing him to study you. A deal which I declined."

He was not sure why he did not tell his son the exact details of the negotiation Vindi had been willing to make, but that seemed to satisfy his son as Luke was more interested in other matters.

"What about a way to fix me? You asked him about that right?" The boy looked at him with such intense blue eyes. What should he say? "Well?"

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

Luke stared at his father. Why was the man remaining silent? Surely his father was able to get the information out of Vindi. He had to have.

"Luke, there…there is no way to reverse the effects."

The Jedi's heart dropped as the words hit him hard. No way to reverse the effects? He was stuck in this body!

No. That was not right, he could feel it. Just as he had known his father was telling the truth back in Cloud City, he felt the force whisper the man's deceit.

Luke could not look his father in the eye as he spoke barely above a whisper, "You…you didn't try to get the information from him, did you?" Vader remained silent at the accusation.

No, his father wouldn't want him to be stuck like this forever, why would he want to keep him this way? Why would he try and deceive him? The boy shook his head slowly in disbelief.

"You lied." The words fell out of his mouth.

"You have no need to return to your normal body." Vader said simply as if it were only a minor matter, "You are to remain with me and I will train you. With my rejuvenated body I will cut down the Emperor and take his place with you at my side."

Despair was quickly being replaced by anger.

Hot tears pricked at the corners of his eyes, "So that's it then. After all we've been through you just want to me keep me around to turn me into some-some powerful pawn?" he was shaking now and his head was painfully pounding.

"No, you are not a mere pawn." the Sith glared.

"That's not what it seems like! I trusted you!" there was the briefest of pauses before he added much quieter, "I thought you could change."

The room went silent.

"Then you are a fool." Vader said darkly.

Luke was not sure what to say next, but he did not have to worry about it for long as his father's com started beeping.

"Sit down." He said pointing at a chair before answering the call, "This had better be important."

"Yes, my Lord, it is." Luke only barely registered the sound of Piett's voice as he leaned against the wall for support, "The Black Sun leader, Prince Xizor, is on his way to meet you to discuss the Emperor's latest project."

The room was spinning. His father lied to him.

"Tell him to wait."

Luke started making his way over to the ship's bunk room. Should he really be surprised at his father's betrayal?

"We postponed the meeting once before, but the Emperor has ordered it be held now."

He should have not been foolish enough to put his trust in Darth Vader.

Vader snarled, but relented, "I am on my way, send me your coordinates."

Luke was furious, both with Vader and himself for trusting him. He pressed the button, more forcefully than he intended, to open the door and quickly entered before the Sith could say another word to him. Artoo solemnly beeped and followed him inside. Luke could feel the Dark Lord's eyes on him as he disappeared into the room. The door swooshed shut and he made the few remaining steps to the bed, heavily pulling himself onto it. His head was aching and he felt like his anger was eating away at his insides. He could feel his wet clothes dampening the sheet, but he could not bring himself to care.

His mind would not stop asking why! Why did his father lie. Why did his father want him to remain in a child's body! Why, why, why! His rage peaking he curled a fist and slammed it down on the mattress with all the strength he could muster. There was an echoing metallic bang which made him jump. The wall across from him now had a large dent in it.

He blinked owlishly at it. Had he done that? Had his anger allowed for him to so easily warp the metallic wall unconsciously with the force? The Jedi's stomach churned; had he just used the dark side?

Yoda had warned him that anger would lead him down the path to the dark side. He had to try to calm down.

Luke took a deep breath, closed his eyes, and rested against the pillow. Hands tightly gripping the sheets beneath him, he tried to clear his mind and meditate, but Luke was too hurt, too confused, and too dizzy to be able to, so he gave up.

Not for the first time he found himself wondering why out of all the people in the galaxy, his father had to be Darth Vader. The man who's living was torturing and hunting down people. Using his sleeve, he wiped his wet eyes and sniffled. He truly had thought his father could change. After all the time they had spent together, Luke thought he had started to see the man soften slightly. Was it all an act? Was it all one big trick to lull him into believing he could actually have the family he so desired?

He felt alone. Alone and spent.

Artoo quietly beeped causing Luke to peak one glossy eye open at the droid. That's right, he wasn't completely by himself; he still had Artoo. After everything he had been through with the droid, Artoo was sort of like family. If he thought about it, his extended family didn't stop there. He had Leia, Han, Lando, Chewie, Threepio-the list went on! One of those people was in need of his help right now and the others were probably worried sick about him!

The young Jedi felt renewed hope come over him. He should put his thoughts on escaping and getting back to the people that cared about him instead of letting his despair eat away at him. He could worry about Vader later.

Luke had waited long enough. It was time to seriously start figuring a way to get back to the rebellion! Catching himself he checked to make sure his thoughts were blocked from his father's. If he wanted this to work, Vader couldn't be onto him in any way. He would have to wait for them to arrive at the Executor then wait for Vader's attention to be somewhere else.

Who was it his father was just talking about meeting with? Some prince? That was when he'd make his move with Artoo!

"Argh!" Luke's head chose that moment to spike in pain. Gripping it he squeezed his eyes shut. Right, he probably had a concussion. Rest would be best for that right now. The boy rolled his eyes, like falling asleep right now would be easy, but he knew he had to try.

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

Vader fully concentrated on flying the ship. At least he tried to. His mind was actually occupied by the rapid events that had occurred in the past few minutes.

The look on Luke's face when he realized he had no intentions of returning him to his normal age was disturbing. He looked as though he had physically been slapped. And since that moment, there was a constant feeling of anger being transferred through their force bond.

Suddenly, Vader felt a spike in the force which was promptly followed by a muffled bang. The Dark Lord's grip on the controls tightened. He was not sure if the boy had punched a wall or done something else, but whatever it was, it had been powered by the dark side.

Vader repeated that thought in his head. His son had just used the dark side.

He was the driving force behind the anger that had pushed Luke to using it, even if just briefly. Knowing he was the cause of that made him feel…well he was not sure. Was he not supposed to be pleased by this outcome? Had this not been what he desired? This little slip was the boy's first step to joining him. What was this feeling?

Vader needed to get his mind off of his son. Everything was falling into place as it should be. Now he just had to deal with the eternally frustrating Xizor. The Falleen was a pest trying to worm his way up in the Emperor's favor. Much to the Sith's misfortune, Palpatine approved of the underlord and did not allow for Vader to rid the galaxy of him.

Vader smirked maliciously to himself; his time to overthrow the Emperor was on the horizon. He need just organize his forces. Then, once he ruled the galaxy, he would put an end to Xizor.

Yes, everything was falling into place indeed.

AN: Don't worry folks the story doesn't end here! I have simultaneously uploaded this story's sequel: Faith. Go on my profile and find it!

Sorry for the long wait. I knew I wanted to upload the last chapter and the first of its sequel in the same day so it took a lot of planning. Please let me know what your thoughts of the story! Your reviews are greatly appreciated! I am still shocked it got all the positive responses it did! Thank you all so much for making this such a joy to write! See you hopefully in the sequel!