Nothing Less

By: Song

Summary: Lord Vader brings his son's body to be laid to rest by the rebellion.

A/U: I was feeling depressed that I had nothing to post on Friday... and then I found this half finished in my hard drive.

Review. They make me happy.

"So be it, jedi."

Sandy blond hair fell over the face of a young man aged by things that none should see. Vader was caught. Unable to make even the slightest of moves.

Sith lightning rained down on his child, resigned to his fate.

The inability to take action that had gripped him earlier found release. For a moment he looked at the body- the body, eyes wide open and glazed with death. The light that had illuminated his mechanical heart extinguished, and in a single ruthless motion his light saber found itself burred within his former master.

He did not know if it was the bionic prison that made lifeless flesh seem so light- or if it was his son's small stature, where he had undoubtedly taken after his mother. The corpse in his unfeeling arms might not have even existed.

Through the halls into his private docking bay the evacuating imperials took no notice of their solemn commander. In the ship he arranged him to be mistaken as sleeping, lest not for the lack of breath in his breast.

And he took flight, catapulted by the explosion of his old master's pet project.

The grim endeavor seemed endless, his TIE advanced sluggish despite all the special modifications.

He set the ship down in a clearing a few kilometers outside rebel base camp. Only the light of the stars filtered through the thick canopy, supplemented with the occasional ship in celebratory flight.

How dare they celebrate.

Luke was dead.

He knew he was walking to his death- and yet, it did not deter him from the task at hand. He had no right to determine the resting place of his son. Force knows he did nothing to earn it. He lost that privileged on the day he ceased to be anything more than a broken man fused with machine.

Before long he had entered the makeshift camp of the rebellion. The two whom he wanted.

"Lord Vader... what a... surprise." Leia's voice was cold unfeeling. She did not see her brother.

"Kid?"

No sound. No movement.

"What the hell have you done?" Solo barked, perhaps forgetting whose presence he was in.

He gave no reply.

The princess was likewise struck speechless- a first in recorded history.

"Krith... He's-he's dead." Solo lacked any bravado now.

Gently, cradling the body like a babe he knelt and positioned it before the Rebellion High Command as if he were sleeping. He did not raise his head to meet their eyes. In total subservience he held still, like an animal to slaughter.

He deserved nothing less.

Fin