So Vader did not speak as the Peerless seemed to rotate in the black void of space before him, an optical illusion caused by correcting the pitch and yaw of the small Lambda-class shuttle he was on to match the looming bulk of the Destroyer, the distant, glowing orb of Duro tiny by comparison to the closing hulk of the massive Super Star Destroyer.
Nor did he remark when the Core Fleet's Commander in Chief was not present at the full Honour Reception of perfectly turned-out troops of the 701st who lined the landing bay even at short notice, since the attendance of the Core Fleet Admiral meant that official protocol had been strictly adhered to- in theory at least.
Admiral Joss bowed politely to Lord Vader rather than salute him, Vader's status in the Emperor's Household outranking even his position as Commander in Chief of the Rim Fleet. Joss had to turn quickly however, since Vader stalked past without acknowledgement, "Lord Vader. May I welcome you aboard on behalf of The Comman..."
"Where is he?" Vader growled, his bass voice reverberating through the cavernous hanger.
"The Commander is on the Bridge at present- perhaps you'd like to accompany me there?" As he said this, Admiral Joss was forced to practically run to keep pace with Vader, who had slowed his pace not a whit.
.
The turbolift door opened onto the bustling bridge, all eyes lifting momentarily as it did, the slightest susurration of unease at Vader's presence there testament to the fact that their own CIC was equally difficult to handle when the mood was on him. Vader walked forward without hesitation, betraying none of the agitation or anticipation he always felt when in the presence of the Core Fleet Commander, known everywhere only by his rank, never by his name.
Never his name- he had other names now, all carefully chosen by the Emperor and each with a purpose, either tactically or for his own amusement.
His feral Jedi, his wild Wolf, Commander of his Fleet, but never his own name- his real name.
So few knew it now, but in private, Vader made a point of referring to him by it. To remind him who he was, who Vader was- what they were to each-other. He knew how uncomfortable the boy was to hear it, and some needle of that pricked at Vader's own memories- of his own name, his own secrets, his own identity, long since abandoned in payment for the power Darkness offered. He didn't want that for the young Fleet Commander stood to the far end of the bridge, and more than most, he felt he had a vested interest, having been so instrumental in his rise to power. Vader was, he believed, very much entitled to make such decisions on the young man's behalf, despite the boy's resentment of this. Entitled to decide what should and should not be sacrificed for the greater goal. And he was willing to accede a great deal- to force the boy to do the same, regardless of his own desires or consent. Neither was particularly necessary in Vader's carefully-laid plans.
But there were some things he wouldn't sacrifice, and the boy's name - his identity, his sense of self, of independence - was one of them.
Everything that he had once wanted for himself Vader now intended for the boy; power, position... and Darkness would offer it- at a price. But when he achieved everything Vader planned for him - and so for Vader himself - then it would be in his name. In their name.
He wanted it for the individual; not for the Darkness which gave the power to take it. He wanted it for the man. For his son.
For Luke Skywalker.
He stood now before the wide bank of viewpanes speaking to his Generals, though he knew Vader had entered the Bridge; would have sensed when he boarded the Peerless, even without constant comm updates from his own carefully-recruited clique of loyal officers.
The ever-present Mara Jade turned to glance down the main walkway toward Vader, green eyes ablaze. Part bodyguard, part Aide, certainly the eyes and ears of Palpatine, she disliked Vader with a vengeance- but the feeling was mutual. Vader remained uneasy at her presence so close to his son; at Luke's apparent trust. Though his spies told him that this had its limits; Luke had learned to trust no-one in the past year as Commander of the Core Fleet, least of all those close to him. But like his Master the Emperor, he seemed a great proponent of the old adage to keep one's friends close- and one's enemies closer.
Vader glanced at her for only a second, his eyes drawn inexorably to his son. Oh, he was so much like Anakin now- slim and lithe, strong and straight. He dressed in black, hair wild and loose, long enough to fall into soft, unruly curls. So much like Anakin...
Absolutely in command here, on the bridge of his Destroyer, all activity centring around him. So very different from the callow, idealistic youth Vader had brought to the Emperor almost three years ago, which made it barely twenty-one years after Padmé's...
Vader broke the thought automatically, unwilling to allow his memories to follow that path, instead turning his attention to the man who watched him now with such wary animosity, as stubborn and as willful and as headstrong as Padmé had ever been.
Realisation of their son's existence after all this time had been one of the most momentous events in Vader's life. His decision to take the boy to Palpatine, forced by Luke's rebuff in Cloud City, had in retrospect probably been one of the most ill-considered, and he had spent the last three years trying to undo the damage done by the Emperor's involvement in the boy's conversion. To little effect in truth; Palpatine held his son so completely in his power now that nothing Vader said seemed to get through to the boy, his mind poisoned by his Master's contriving manipulations.
And Palpatine was hardly about to give and ground. The boy's power was incredible, and still developing. He had yet to find his limits, save for his own self-doubt, which Palpatine alternately fed and criticized, his command of Luke requiring its control but his fascination with the boy's power driving him to test its limits constantly. Why Luke had not already challenged his new Master remained a mystery to Vader; the boy's powers equalled Palpatine's now, and if Vader knew this then Luke must too... but something held him back. Something always held him back.
Sooner or later though, Palpatine would push the boy too far and he would turn on his Master with a vengeance. Could he take the Emperor down? Accomplish what Vader never had?
Absolutely. Vader had complete, unconditional faith in that fact- even if his son did not.
Was this pride? Was it possible to feel such for a son who called him father only to remind him of how far away the reality of their relationship really was? Because he still held aspirations for his son- the driving ambition to see him on the Emperor's throne one day. Was pride not part of that? He did not love - Darkness could not love. He had loved Padmé and she had loved him...once. But they had destroyed each-other... as he had destroyed everything of value in his life.
Even his son. He knew that- he wasn't blind.
He knew how completely he had betrayed Luke in handing him over to Palpatine, fully aware of what the Emperor would do in order to convert and control him; that he would break the boy to pieces physically and mentally in order to dominate and possess, to make that power his own. But he had given his son every chance to embrace the Darkness which would augment his emerging abilities, every chance to acknowledge and instigate his own destiny, and had been refused. What was left to Vader but to take him to the only man who could possibly accomplish what he could not - by force, if necessary. It had been... unexpectedly difficult- disturbing in its ruthless severity - an unforeseen complication.