Memoirs of a Sith Lord

I Betray my Followers

The next place I found myself was in a moonlit garden high atop a Naboo mountain, a place I have rarely visited except in my darkest moments. It is Padmé's grave.

I grieved for the woman who was lost to me. Rarely did I let myself give in to this level of despair, but being here drew it from me, like blood from a wound. The chains of energy appeared, binding me.

The spirits of the Jedi shimmered into being all around. I hated them for existing when my Padmé did not. I hated myself most of all because I failed to protect her in both life and death.

"Tell us, Lord Vader, how we can find the Sith coven," Obi-Wan said.

"And let you strike them down?" I said. "Never."

"Promise, we will, to look into what the Trade Federation has done to our former younglings," Yoda said.

I laughed, bitterly, at the ridiculousness of it. Why would I betray the very army I helped to create?

"Joined them, Luke has," Yoda said.

I ceased to laugh. "No," I said. "That's not true."

But I searched my feelings and knew it to be so.

"I'm afraid that, since you've begun to set the record straight he's become enamored of your cause ... and your methods," Obi-Wan said. "Luke is now known as Darth Coronus, and he serves a dark spirit that has mastered the coven in your absence."

With all the ferocity I could muster, I strained at the chains of energy binding me to the floor.

"Free me then, let me go and rescue my son. He must not serve the Dark Side. I've defeated the Emperor before, I can do it again."

"Bind you, we do not," Yoda said. "Your spiritual prison, the only means to protect you have we."

"If we knew how to free you, old friend, we would," Obi-Wan said. His voice was soft, wistful.

For several seconds, I did not answer. They did not bind me? Then who or what--my spirit felt as cold as Hoth in spring.

And at last, I knew that it was I who had been the fool, never questioning my assumptions about them. The Jedi were not my enemies after all.

Qui-Gon appeared. "Lord Vader, the Emperor knew how to use the Force to open the passage between the Dark and the Light. We fear it may be his spirit that controls Luke and his spirit that binds you."

"Call me Anakin," I said.

"Listen, Anakin," Obi-Wan said. "When next we call you forth it will be to confront Luke. You must tell us where he is."

How short a time ago was it that I promised never to reveal the location of my followers to the Jedi? Mere moments.

"The Sith coven operates from the belly of a dead sarlacc on the southern edge of the Dune sea," I said.

Having betrayed my students, I was dismissed to my place of darkness.

Instead of dwelling on my failings, I stoked my hatred of the Emperor and my love for Luke. Weapons I'd surely need when I faced the coven.