Star Wars: Fighting Fear

Chapter IV: Jedi Prison

Luke couldn't see a thing as he fell. Without the Force, his landing was completely unexpected. He hit the floor and his knees buckled, causing him to roll on the solid ground. He rose shakily to his feet.

He found himself in a passageway dimly lit by grimy white lights in the walls. For extra light, Luke Skywalker ignited his green saber.

"Han? Leia? Chewbacca?" Luke called to find out if any of his friends had fallen down here with him. An echo was the only voice to respond. Unable to go back up the way he fell, Luke cautiously walked forward, wishing more than ever he had access to his ally, the Force.

His boots made soft clanking noises on the metal floor. As he slowly walked, the young Jedi passed rows of doors made of thick, solid steel. The doors were covered in rust and multicolored bloodstains, but were still strong and impenetrable.

Suddenly, Luke heard an electric sound activating behind him. He whirled around, lightsaber ready. Four tall droids emerged from the shadows twirling long staffs with purple electricity crackling at the ends.

Luke recognized them as IG-100 MagnaGuards from the Clone War. The droids' movement were slower and choppier than how they should be due to rust and lack of care, but he doubted they were any less dangerous.

They zeroed in on him with red eyes. They surrounded him instantly, delivering fast, decisive blows at the Jedi.

Luke quickly learned his lightsaber could deflect the purple electricity as though it was another lightsaber. Without the Force, Luke relied on his combat training to dodge the MagnaGuard's blows. He sliced the first one in half.

One of the staffs clipped him on the shoulder, which he in turn lopped off the droid's head. With only two droids left, Luke found himself being pushed back, unable to deflect both droids pouring everything they had on the Force-less Jedi.

One MagnaGuard thrust forward and caught Luke's hand. He hissed in pain as his prosthetic reacted to the electrocution. Ducking and switching to his left hand, Luke trusted the length of his blade, and swung out as far as he could reach. The top halves of the droids clattered to the floor and Luke decapitated them.

The young Jedi deactivated his lightsaber and leaned against the wall, panting. He stared at the sparking droids in bewilderment. What was all of this for? he wondered. Why did Sidious separate him from his friends just to attack him with outdated droids?

Having caught his breath, Luke pushed off of the wall and continued walking, hoping to discover the answers for himself. 'Cause I am not about to ask a dead Sith Lord's spirit for answers.

The row of heavy doors was broken by an open alcove. There were no lights inside to illuminate the recess, so Luke turned on his green saber once again and slowly entered the dark room.

Shelves lined the walls and built up from the middle of the tiny room, creating a maze of storage. Luke cast the green glow onto the dusty objects. At first, nothing seemed out of the ordinary, just boxes of spare parts. As Luke traveled further down, he found deactivated sphere droids and broken syringes. Even further in were small bottles labeled "Truth Serum," "Hallucinations," "Pain Illusions," and other horrible things he didn't even know existed.

Shuddering, Luke drew away and focused the light onto the wall behind him. It was decorated top to bottom with lightsaber hilts and Padawan braids. Not knowing what compelled him to do so, Luke reached out and gently touched a brown braid.

Screams, sobs, and crackling electricity filled his mind. He could faintly feel a familiar pain. A pain he felt on the second Death Star. Palaptine standing over him, shooting Dark Side lightning from his fingers and laughing while his father looked on silently.