Fortress Vader

Break It Fix It - 引言及 Chapter 1 The First Visit

引言

看完星战9心里一直堵得慌。作为老6部星战迷，维达/阿纳金的铁粉，这绝不是我愿意看到的星战。其他各种问题我都不想说了，只说作为爵爷粉，从7到9，我一直有一个最大的不满：既然凯洛伦那么崇拜他姥爷，阿纳金为什么一点表示都没有？你外孙因为崇拜那个黑暗面的你路越走越歪，你就不能现身说法教育一下他么？明明最后都对Rey喊话了，居然对自己的外孙不理不睬，任由他曲解自己走上自己的老路，太不负责了吧！不知道迪斯尼是觉得太麻烦，还是故意要淡化正传的影响，他们干脆就刻意回避这条线。明明他的光剑，他的头盔都成了（被随意糟蹋的）剧情道具，为什么他这个人（鬼），就被华丽丽地忽视了呢？更甚者，PPT重出江湖简直就是对他最大的羞辱。什么天选之子，什么原力平衡，到头来竟然都成了一场空的笑话？还需要PPT自己家的人去重新做一遍？还有最后一部的剧名。去尼玛的天行者崛起，分明就是天行者绝后好吗！不要以为冠个名就是纪念，只不过是惺惺作态地讨好粉丝而已。

但是骂归骂，人家都拍出来了，卢卡斯把版权都卖了。以后只要一提起星战世界，这些剧情都会阴魂不散。我们这些老粉除了忍气吞声地吞下这只苍蝇，还能做什么呢？

于是，为了让我自己好受一点，我决定补写剧情。不是改写，而是保持原剧情基本不变，然后从另外的视角写背后的故事，弥补我对剧情的遗憾。视角当然是以阿纳金的绝地英灵为中心，然后尝试解释和补全关于阿纳金没在电影中出现的各种遗憾，还有一些关于凯洛伦的成长不太合理的漏洞。最后我不会改结局，但会在电影没演到的地方加结局。不知道这个尝试最后效果能怎么样，要把这个歪七扭八的剧情圆成我希望的样子，难度还真是不小。

文章用英文写的。因为国内星战圈太冷了。我准备发到AO3上去。也懒得翻译了，放到lofter存个档吧。有喜欢的朋友欢迎交流。

这是第一章，先试个水。龟速更新。这一章其实写得挺喜感的，因为实在忍不住想夹带私货把开罗人这个不肖外孙吐槽一遍。所以是个小安被外孙气出黑暗面然后把事情弄得更糟的故事。当然这只是开始，所以有了标题：Break it, fix it (except for Han) 为了配合原剧情，也不得不这样安排。对不住了，Han >_<

AO3 同步更新

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Break It Fix It

Chapter 1  The First Visit

"Show me the power of the Dark Side... I want to be as strong as you... Grandfather!"

"Ohhhh... No... Not again!" Anakin Skywalker grumbled, squeezing his head as if a ghost could get a bad headache, "Why can't he just let me rest in peace? He ruins my meditation every time!"

The Netherworld of the Force is usually a serene space. It's the gathering of the Force in its purest form. The Jedi spirits, or, the Force Ghosts, that stay in there are usually quiet and do not have much connection with the living world. But Anakin was different. He was sensitive to the smallest disturbance in the Force, especially that came from the family of Skywalker. Maybe because, as Yoda pointed out, he was bearing too much guilt and self-condemnation in his heart. That was "unhealthy" for a Jedi spirit and made his Force field unstable. He must use meditation to clear his mind as much as possible.

But obviously, it was extremely difficult, if not totally impossible, in a time when your daughter was at war with another dark force that seemed to have grown out of nowhere although you thought you had already ended their time with the cost of your own life; when your son who was supposed to be the greatest Jedi Master at the time suddenly cut off the connection with the Force and went into self-exile due to some hard-to-explain disaster that put in vain all his effort to restore the Jedi Order; and what’s the worst, when this bitter misfortune of your daughter and son was caused by none other than your own grandson who joined the dark side of the Force and was going to take every wrong step that you had ever taken, just because he worshiped you - the other you that you wished never had existed, but you could do nothing to stop him - not even sniffing at his prayers that sounded like a prolonged puberty crisis.  

You know nothing about the Dark Side, Ben Solo!

Annoyed, Anakin tried to use his Force energy to reach out to where the prayer came from, but BANG! His energy was deflected, as usual, causing him dizziness. 

That was the Force barrier installed by his own daughter, Ben’s mother, Leia. He didn’t know how or why, this barrier seemed to be there since Ben was born. She hates me so much… - Anakin sighed. 

"You heard your grandson's prayer again?" A glowing figure appeared beside Anakin, wrapped in a worn Jedi robe. It was Obi-Wan Kenobi. 

"They are coming more and more often now. Almost every day!" Anakin complained, "But what can I do? The Force barrier set by his mother is too strong. I can't reach him. I've been hearing his silly childish aspiration for so many years. It really made me sick, yet there's no way I can interfere! Luke is missing, and Leia is unreachable - No Leia, you can't do this to me! If you blame me for everything, why don't give me the chance to fix it?"

"Apparently Leia inherited your stubbornness." Obi-Wan responded, not without a grain of sarcasm. 

Anakin rolled his eyes, then turned to him: "Obi-Wan, you must help me…"

"How?"

"Tell Leia to lift the Force barrier."

"It's hard to talk with her about you..."

"I know! I know she still hates me. I'm not asking her to forgive me. I'm just trying to help. Ben is my grandson. I can't just sit here watching him falling deeper and deeper because of me!"

"You're right... We have to do something..." Obi-Wan pondered, "Since Ben fell into the dark side, he shut himself off in the Force from all of us. But maybe not you. He wants to talk with you. No matter what Leia thinks of you, you are our last hope."

Obi-Wan went into a meditation gesture, and Anakin waited eagerly. After a while, Obi-Wan's face expression turned from intense to relax, and he opened eyes.

"What did she say?" Anakin asked with no delay.

"She agreed." Obi-Wan smiled, "Although she hesitated, there's not much choice left for her."

"Yes!" Anakin cheered. He can't wait to speak to his grandson following his prayer next time. Well, more than "speak", what Anakin really desired to do was to kick his ass. 

"Going to visit him, you are not." Yoda suddenly appeared.

"Why?" Anakin was baffled, "Finally I can reach out to Ben and turn him back, why can't I do it?"

"Leia, the problem is not. The dark side of the Force, it is. Unpredictable it will be, too risky, if a Jedi spirit tries to penetrate into the dark side..."

"But Ben needs me!" 

"...especially for you."

"What? Why me?"

"Very unstable, your energy is. Easily distort it, the dark side can." Yoda answered, “unless you clear all regret and guilt from your mind.”

"Uh... there you go again... Why not letting me do something? Let me help Ben, help Leia! Let me show her I can do something good!”

"Master Yoda," Obi-Wan chimed in, "I think he's right. Meditation doesn't help him much. Maybe fixing things can."

"Yes! I always found it more useful than meditation. Thank you Obi-Wan, you always know me!" Anakin winked to him.

Yoda didn't argue any further. He sensed it was the will of the Force. "The choice is yours, Skywalker. Be prepared, then."

 ***

"Show me again, the power of the darkness, and I will let nothing stand in our way. Show me, Grandfather, and I will finish what you started..."

When Ben's prayer came again, Anakin focused his energy on that voice and let it pull him like a magnet. He did not need to move. The Force space transformed and unfolded in front of him, exposing the corner of the living world where Ben Solo was. Leia's Force barrier was no long there. Anakin could finally see him again, after so many years, since Luke showed him Ben's image as a handsome young adult some time before he lost contact.

Anakin saw a room that looked like a private chamber in a star destroyer. It was dark, cold, and hollow. Ben was standing there, bending his neck quite low towards a short display stand. He didn't change much. His appearance had some minor resemblance to Anakin, but was more like his father, Han Solo. Anakin was not happy about that.

And something was placed on top of the stand - a black blob with some irregular shape.

Anakin zoomed in with his spirit eyes.

What the F...!

When he saw the charred mask, he almost horrified himself. The eerily deformed "face" of Darth Vader caused a rolling wave of the past surging into his soul. He would have thrown up if he had a torso.

Wait, this wimpy kid just robbed my grave? 

Anakin felt really sick now...

For Force's sake! How did they managed to raise such a freak?

It might be the madness within him. Anakin's force energy sent a strong turbulence into the chamber and Vader's mask began to shake. 

Ben's eyes widened. Fear and excitement spilled all over him at the same time. He knelt down to the mask and prayed even more loudly. 

"Grandfather... Lord Vader... I know you can hear me! Please... Please show me the way to the Dark Side!"

Not able to hold himself any longer, Anakin jumped out of the Force space and stood tall in the center of the chamber, ready to teach his grandson a lesson.

"Ben Solo..."

Hearing his own voice, Anakin suddenly freaked out. That was not HIS voice. It was low, deep, and menacing. It was the voice of...

Darth Vader.

Something was terribly wrong. He tried to withdraw, but it was too late. Ben already turned his eyes to him. He stood still, daring not to move a single finger. Only then when he realized he was somehow put back into Vader's suit, with the suffocating helmet covering his head and the black cloak fluttering vigorously behind him in the Force wave. Around his figure was a glowing red halo. 

Although still weightless, he had never felt so heavy in his afterlife. The only difference with the living Vader was that there was no hiss of the air pump, for as a ghost, he didn't need to breathe.

Yoda had warned him. But he never prepared for this... 

Ben slowly stood up. His jaw widely dropped. His whole body was shaking. He couldn't believe his wildest dream had come true: Darth Vader, his grandfather that he had worshiped for so long, finally showed up to him with the full intimidating image of the dark side. 

Luke Skywalker told everyone that Darth Vader redeemed himself and turned back to the light side - So that was a lie? Without this single weakness, he is now my perfect idol!

But why did he call me "Ben Solo"? Alas! He must think I'm not adequate for being Kylo Ren. He's not satisfied with me!

"My dear grandfather..." Ben's voice was trembling. He didn't even dare to correct Vader for using the wrong name. "I know I still have much to learn. Please lead me deeper into the dark side. I need your guidance!"

He knelt again under Vader's feet, stretching out both hands as if he wanted to touch the glowing phantom. 

How awkward...

Anakin tried to calm down, but the effort was in vain. A mixed feeling of fear, anger and loathing had clouded his mind. A small part of him still remembered the purpose he came here was to bring Ben back to the light side. 

Ah, yes, teach this pathetic kid a lesson! Who cares what I look or sound like!

He looked down to Ben with the black mask, much shinier than the broken one on the stand. 

"I found your obsession with me disgusting!"

Again, the voice was deep, dark, and even more menacing. Surprisingly, Anakin felt much better this time after unleashing his emotion.

Ben was scared. He drew back with a jerk, half sitting on the floor. But his eyes were still full of devotion and eagerness.

Anakin could not help but continued scolding: "What do you know about the dark side? You little ignorant kid! You know nothing! The dark side is pain, is suffering! it's the destruction of everything you care!" He paced one step towards Ben, "Look at your baby face! You were born to a family of heroes. Your mother was the most honorable princess. Your uncle was the greatest Jedi. You had everything and you were so well protected! What have you experienced? Betrayal? Vengeance? Desperation? Death of family? Losing your true love? No! You experienced nothing! You are just a spoiled young man with delusional disorder! But if you continue this way, I assure you, THAT, is all that the dark side will give you!"

Ben stared at his mask, eyes blinking with enlightenment. 

Good, you did listen to me. - Anakin was satisfied.

"Thank you grandfather!" Ben hailed with excitement, "Thank you for showing me the true path to the Dark Side!"

What? True path? - Anakin gasped - Is his brain addled? How could the gene of Skywalker be so terrible? 

It must be Han Solo! That filthy smuggler!

Anakin was again filled with rage coming from nowhere: "I don’t know how they taught you but there must be something wrong in your blood. Your mother is tough and intelligent. Your uncle is passionate and wise. Only your father, Han Solo, that weak-minded cynical nonbeliever! He must have passed this idiocy into you!"

Ben's expression was suddenly frozen. With astonishment and fear, he inhaled promptly. Seconds later, he lowered his head, clenched his fists, and his eyes were on fire.

"I know what I need to do to become stronger..."

You know what? - Anakin was more confounded. This twisted conversation was driving him crazy. His mixed emotion became so intense that he felt it would blow him up in no time.

Just at that moment, Anakin heard a voice of Obi-Wan urging him: "Anakin, come back! Quick! You are in danger!"

Before he could respond, a swift breeze surrounded him, pulling him back. Darth Vader's image shattered and dissolved into the dark Force field, leaving Ben struggling with the horrible idea within his own head, without noticing that Vader had gone.

***

Anakin was back in the Force Netherworld. He curled up on the ground with exhaustion.

"Oh shoot... What happened to me? What have I done?" Anakin murmured with a faint voice.

"You were distorted by the dark side." Obi-Wan said, "Master Yoda sensed your Force energy was collapsing."

"Distorted? You mean... I fell into the dark side... again?" Anakin jerked, remembering how he became Darth Vader again.

"Falling, no. But worse." Yoda floated close, "Before you can fall, dissipate you will, disappear forever."

Anakin gasped: "That is... the ultimate death? How could it happen?"

"Only the light side can hold an integrated Force spirit." Obi-Wan explained, "If the spirit is stable, it can be kept intact for a short time in the dark side. But for you... The dark Force eroded you too quickly. If you stayed any longer, you would not be in one piece anymore. I should not have let you go, Anakin. I didn’t expect it was so serious..."

"So I won't be able to visit Ben again?" Anakin was very disappointed. He knew he made a big mistake in this visit, but there was no chance to correct it anymore. 

"Before we find a way to stabilize your energy, no." Obi-Wan commanded in the tone of a Master. Then he asked, with curiosity: "So how was Ben? What did you tell him? Did he listen to you?"

"I think I screwed up." Anakin buried his face in his hands. It looked like they didn't know what exactly had happened, but he didn't dare to tell them. "I warned him the danger of the dark side. But I don't think he understood. I have a bad feeling about this."

"Don't blame yourself. It must be really hard when you were trying to hold yourself together." Obi-Wan comforted him. 

Anakin didn't know what to say. He took a quick glimpse of Yoda, seeing him with eyes closed, subtly shaking his head.

No. It was much worse than that. And I have a really bad feeling. 

***

A couple of days later. Anakin in meditation.

He suddenly sensed a strong turbulence in the Force. It was from Ben, who was calling him in his heart, with great agony and struggle.  

"Grandfather, help me... help me do this! I must take this step..."

Anakin tried to reach out again but he hesitated. It was too dark, too foggy. Something abysmal was lurking on the other side. Then a piercing scream surged into the Force space.

"No! Stop!" Anakin shouted out. He suddenly realized what had happened.

But it was too late. 

Obi-Wan appeared with a face too pale even for a ghost. 

"Han is dead. I sensed it from Leia... Ben killed him."

Anakin sat like a stone. The blue halo around him dimmed to nothingness.

I totally failed. Leia will never forgive me, not for the slightest possibility.

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后一章：Chapter 2 Reconnection