An Even Greater Sin

Chapter 17: The darkness within the light...

Luke turned to Leia, searching her eyes. She was ready. But if she hadn't been... he would have had to tell her the truth anyway. Glancing quickly away before returning to the here and now, he felt Vader's spirit flickering out to reach him. He didn't have much time.

"Leia... did you know that the Jedi used to forbid romantic attachments?"

In confusion, she nodded slowly. She seemed to not know what he was truly meaning. "My father told me about that."

"Do you remember your mother? Your real mother?"

She was caught unaware by the question. It seemed irrelevant, as though it didn't influence the present time at all. And yet... somehow, it was infinitely important, right now, when Luke asked.

"Just a little bit. She died when I was very young."

"What do you remember?"

Shaking her head, she insisted, "Just- images, really. Feelings."

"Tell me."

Slowly, almost afraid to bring the past into the present, she murmured, "She was... very beautiful. Kind... but sad." Seeking the truth in his swirling blue eyes, she asked, "Why are you asking me this?"

He seemed so far away, as though his mind were in another universe entirely. Then he turned to her, and admitted, "I didn't know who my mother was until recently. I used to wonder how she could have... done it."

"Done what?"

"Fallen in love with my father."

"Your father the war hero?" He was making no sense.

Abruptly, he changed the subject. "Vader is here. Now. On this moon."

Disturbed, she queried, "How do you know?"

"I felt his presence. He's come for me. He can feel when I'm near. And that's why I have to go."

Go? She didn't understand at all. He was trying to be as helpful as he could, but she was still confused.

"What are you talking about, Luke?" She grabbed his hand, trying desperately to find some sort of connection.

"If I stay with the group, he'll find us all. I'm putting you in danger." He looked away, again, and she followed his gaze. He seemed to almost be longing for something. "I need to go to him."

The very idea was ridiculous. In fear, she asked, "Why? If he can feel your presence, then leave! There's no reason for you to face him!"

He seemed to stiffen, then. In a voice lower than she'd ever heard him use, he whispered, "Yes, there is."

"Then what is it?"

He gazed into her terrified eyes, pained by the level of concern he saw there. He didn't look away, now. He needed to find something to hold onto as he made this declaration.

He had struggled against this admission, within his heart. He had tried up until this point to deny what he knew to be the truth. The truth that Anakin Skywalker was Darth Vader.

And that both of them...

"He's my father." To say it, in this way, actually took a great burden off of his chest. He groaned silently to see that Leia had taken that burden upon her own, though.

"Your father!" Pity and derision fought within her eyes. He knew she didn't want to believe it... but she did.

"There's more, and it won't be easy for you to hear it, but you must. If I don't make it back, you're the only hope for the Alliance."

"Luke, don't talk that way. You have a power I- I don't understand, and could never have."

"You're wrong, Leia. You have that power, too. In time, you'll learn to use it as I have."

He watched her struggle with something, and patiently allowed her to form the words he knew she wanted to say.

"I had worried, earlier, that Vader was the one you secretly loved."

Luke flinched, and she frowned. As he turned away from her, he gripped the handrail of the walkway. What was going on?

Falling to his knees, he gasped, "He is."

Her mind began racing faster than she could follow. It wasn't possible. Hadn't he just admitted that Vader was his father?

"What... do you mean?"

"There is good in him. The Emperor hasn't driven it from him fully. I can save him."

"But- you- he- Vader is your father... AND you're in love with him?" Her Alderaani upbringing told her that this was wrong, twisted, sick.

But the Force-energy she was sensing from Luke was telling her that it wasn't. He rose, slowly, and turned back to face her. Slowly, timidly, he murmured, "The Force runs strong in my family. My father has it... I have it... and my sister has it."

Sister? What sister? The questions formed themselves in her mind, but stuck behind her lips. She couldn't speak, couldn't tear herself away from those eyes that burned like blue stars. There was darkness, there, and light. And within it all... there was truth.

"Yes, Leia. It's you."

His sister! She shook, afraid now, of what she herself had known all this time, deep within. Luke, her brother! And Vader... her father... and the infatuation of her brother.

"But... how can you be in love with him?"

"Because he loves me, deep inside. I didn't want to admit these things to myself... but they're true. They're true, and they're right."

"They're wrong! If he's your father-"

"I can't tell you right now how this happened- there isn't time. But please- do you trust me?"

"How can I? You're in love with my mortal enemy!"

"He was my mortal enemy, too, Leia. I thought he had killed my father." He hung his head. "I thought I was absolutely sick when I learned how I felt about him. But I've come to realize something."

"What?" She wasn't sure if she wanted to hear this.

"If it's a sin to fall in love with one's father, then I'd rather fall in love than wallow in hatred. Hatred is an even greater sin than love." He smiled, now, and she saw a strange form of wisdom within his deep eyes. "I can save him. I can turn him back... to the good side."

Pleading with his heart that she would accept it, even if she didn't understand, he whispered passionately, "I have to try."

Kissing her lightly on the cheek, he slowly walked away, to face his destiny, and more importantly, to face his father, his true love.

Leia Organa wept, now, as Han crept up beside her. He asked what was wrong, but she couldn't say it. Not yet. She was still too horrified.