Signs of Life

By JalendaviLady

Chapter 1

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Disclaimer: I do not own Star Wars.

If you recognize any characters, locations, or things in the following story, George Lucas owns them.

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Alarms sounded. People ran this way and that, looking for any way to get off the massive, doomed battle station. In a relatively undisturbed corner of the hangar, a young Jedi knelt, crying over the unnaturally quiet body of a no-longer-Dark Lord.

After a moment, Luke looked up through his tears at his father's still face. We never even touched, not without something between us. He tentatively reached up and caressed the top of Anakin's head, lightly brushing the scar. His white skin was amazingly smooth and warmer than Luke had expected. It's been five minutes. His body should already be cooling. The thought nearly sent Luke into a fresh burst of tears.

Luke's hand stopped and he gasped in shock. Somehow, a vein lying close to the skin at Anakin's temple next to the scar still had a faint pulse. Father… he's still alive. There's a pulse. He held a hand close to Anakin's mouth and could feel the air movements caused by his breathing—faint, but undeniably present. He's alive.

Luke dragged him into a shuttle, fastening him into a medical bunk and gently placing an oxygen mask on him before rushing to the cockpit, changing the settings of the friend/foe transmitter, and lifting off.

The shuttle landed on the moon only a few minutes later. Thank the Force I managed to find a place to land near a water source and without any apparent troop movements anywhere nearby. Neither of us is in any condition to fight right now. He got up from the pilot's seat, feeling the beginnings of cramps in his legs. This is not good. Luke stumbled back to the medical bunk.

He nearly collapsed with relief and from the growing pain. According to the sensors in the bunk, Anakin's heartbeat and breathing were slowly becoming stronger. The elder Skywalker moaned slightly.

Luke braced himself by leaning against the wall where the alcove of the bunk began. It wasn't much, and his legs still hurt, but it gave a little relief nonetheless. Please don't let him sense I'm hurt.

Luke gently touched his father's unscarred, powder-white right cheek. "Shh. I'm here. You're gonna be fine. Shh."

Anakin's eyes fluttered open somewhat. "Lu…ke…?" The corners of his mouth raised slightly in a subtle smile. Luke's heart contracted. That's the same smile he gave me when he saw me, just before…

"I'm here, Father." He started shaking and could feel tears running down his face. "I'm here." He sank to his knees , pressing his face into the springy softness of the bunk's edge.

Luke suddenly found himself wrapped in a weak but warm Force-embrace. "Lu…ke?" There was concern in Anakin's voice.

"I'll be okay in a moment," Luke told him as soon as he could calm down enough to speak. "Just a bit overwhelmed."

"How… long… since…"

"The battle?" Luke looked up in time to see Anakin's slight nod. "Under two hours, I think. You were certainly not unconscious for much more than an hour, if that."

"The… Death Star?" Anakin let his eyes drift closed.

"Blew up just as we got out." Luke carefully squeezed Anakin's shoulder. "Shh. Rest. You're injured."

"And you… are not?"

"You can barely move, Father. I can at least stumble around." He tried to stand, but one of the muscles in his lower leg spasmed. He gasped in pain and dropped back down to his knees.

With concern and affection in his weak voice, Anakin quietly chided, "You were… attacked for longer… than I was… my son. Battle injuries… sometimes… take time… to show. Particularly… Force attacks." With obvious effort, he slowly moved his left hand over so that it rested in Luke's hair.

They both rested for a moment, content in each other's presence.

"Luke?"

"Hmm?"

"Have you… let anyone… your friends… your sister… anyone… know you… are alive?"

"Not yet. Wasn't sure if the comm. in this thing could be received by Alliance comlinks. And Leia's not even partly trained, so Force-communication is not a viable option either."

She's stronger than you know, Luke, Anakin thought fondly. She can sense attacks against her mind and swat them like tiny swamp flies. Even mind attacks from Sith. She kept me out on the Death Star, even under the influence of truth drugs. If she can sense that and defend herself even under those conditions, surely a message can get to her, even if she can't respond. "Have you… tried yet? She might… be strong… enough."

"I try, but there's no response."

"What are… you sending?"

"Just a traditional hello and make contact message."

"Luke… she doesn't… know the… etiquette… involved. She may… not have… even realized… she was… being contacted."

"Oh."

Time to let the Skywalker with actual experience try this, Anakin thought wryly. My Jedi son. So Force-strong, so skilled, and yet so inexperienced. Leia?he Force-called.

No response.

Have to do this the hard way, then. He gathered in his mind all he knew of her, every interaction, every personality quirk. This was spun into an image of who she was. Leia?he sent again, seeking a mind somewhere in the general area with a similar image to that he had constructed.

No luck. The search was too wide, the image too indistinct. And dated, Anakin reminded himself. The Leia Organa I knew best was barely 13, and even after her years as a Senator, she's changed.

I'm going about this wrong, he realized. Luke received from her during the fight. I picked that up. The signature of the broadcast he received would be the Leia existing now. He tried to recall every detail of that signature. Close enough. /Leia?/ he sent over a larger area.

A response, faint and familiar. Leia just swatted another fly.

A moment passed.

Another response, tentative and clearly untrained. Who are you?

Luke is okay, injured but fine. Need medic.

A leap of joy, followed by an emotional sinking Anakin could practically feel in his bones through the weak link in the Force. Who are you?

He almost cringed. The first time, she was curious. Now, she's scared.

He delayed answering, trying to decide how to respond.

Who are you?

Leia… I'm sorry. For everything I did, and for everything I should have done.

A pause.