Vader is a terrible, terrible man. AGAIN. [OPEN]

[sin_and_misery]

Kenobi!

Vader's eyes snapped open as he jerked to consciousness, his last memory of Kenobi's smirk burnt into his memory. The treacherous Jedi had thwarted him again. Why he was not dead was beyond him, but the second time Kenobi had left him for dead without having the stomach to actually finish the deed would be the last

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[ladyofthesands]

"You would be wrong in that I would sit to hear your story," Arha said. "But, I think, you are set in seeing your world through a certain lens. I do not think there is much I can say that will give you what you truly seek. You wish a son, yet he has turned himself into the Force and away from hate, sorrow, and darkness--this does not make him lost to you. He is still your son and will still sit with you. He shall not kill you. Luke has found his way without Obi-Wan and the things he has learned have changed him into the man he is this day. He has been through much, both dark and light, and has struck a balance and peace between them."

Such is what she saw when she looked at Luke.

"You say 'the Jed-Eye' as if they are a massive force uprising against you that needs to be crushed. In reality, they are all survivors, all who are aboard this ship. They harm no one by being here, though you would surely kill them all. You may try, but this ship will not let you succeed."

She studied him unflinchingly for awhile.

"There is sorrow in that such things have happened to you," Arha said at last. "The situations that lead up to such a confrontation must have been terrible, indeed, for you to shed your life as Jed-Eye and become Sith, as you are now. I will let you find your comfort, such as it may be, if you wish. Our words will continue to clash for mine fall upon ears that have forgotten how to hear. I am certain I could stay for hours and we should get nowhere. But, I leave you with the words I have spoken. They are truth as I am Bene Gesserit and Jed-Eye both."

[sin_and_misery]

"I will take nothing from a Jedi," Vader said, drawing upon all his teachings he had received at the foot of the Emperor. The truth of Arha's words was completely lost on him.

"I do not need your false pity, nor do I need your disdain or supposed joy-- all these things are lies. The Jedi feel nothing. Nothing! You cannot fathom the bonds of blood because they are forbidden to you, and I do not encourage you to try, lest you fall and find yourself no better than I am. Then you would be unable to stare down at me from your vantage point and gloat in such a manner. Wrap yourself within the teachings of your false prophets, if they truly allow you to sleep soundly."

[ladyofthesands]

"The Order has changed," Arha said patiently. "Blood ties are permitted, encouraged, needed because they are the thing that gives a Jed-Eye strength. The mistakes of another age are gone, perhaps in part, by your own doing. Your own son is married, has a family, and his ties to them are strong. Perhaps, if you stopped for a moment and used your brain instead of folding in upon yourself and pulling your hate over your eyes like a pillow to keep monsters at bay, you would see this is true."

She half rolled her eyes.

"The Jed-Eye you hate are gone. You do not listen and I have no gloating, no pity. You are what you choose to be. I cannot change this. The only thing I can change is myself." She stretched her mind out, open wide, though the wrapped anything to do with Obi-Wan up and stuffed it away like a squirrel, burying it in the sea of voices that were her ancestors (and truth, those who she had never known in her life from the one whose face she did not know). The Mothers-Within were agitated, but settled to allow sharp relief to the memories she called forth and left where he could reach them. The barren stretches of her home on Arrakis, the emptiness, the abandonment, the bitter cinnamon sent of Spice, the roar of the great Shi-Hulud--such had been her family before finding the Jed-Eye. Then the Force, healing Obi-Wan, and the joy of it, the release, the family she had gained. Kyle Katarn with his arms around her, Luke talking of his wife, of Ben, or his sister and her own family, the laughter and the joy, the heartache, all of it laid bare.

"Tell me I lie again. Tell me I am weak and I will drown you in the life I have lead. I do not lie in anything I say--there is no advantage in lying to you, nothing I can gain from it."

[sin_and_misery]

"Stop! STOP!" Vader roared, thrashing on the bed hard enough to activate the bony, insectoid restraints. The light of her thoughts touched the places within him that were still raw and sent his thoughts skittering away from her reach, even as his physical body was kept firmly in place. Try as he might, he was still too weak to raise his shields and keep her presence out- or keep his own thoughts safely locked away. The images were of a place far too similar to Tatooine, and he remembered his own burning sands with blood pooling within footsteps, and the cries of--

"Get out," he said, hoarsely. Then, shouting, even as ravaged as his throat was from this unassisted conversation: "GET OUT! I will not be swayed by you! I have had the veil removed from my eyes, and the Emperor has shown me...he knows far better than you do how deeply the conditioning of the Jedi runs!" He was frantic now, pulling deeper and deeper within himself to stay right, to know that what he had done was the only conceivable option. He was the avatar of justice to the galaxy...

[ladyofthesands]

There is a veil between you and the world, one your Emperor placed before you. I do not sway anyone, I show only the absolute truth. I cannot lie in this place. Arha showed the blistering sands at dawn, the tiny scorpion that favored the rock outside her small cave, the quiet peace of her cave and the ripple of the water in the small cache that had kept her alive. She showed him the harsh beauty and the cruelty of her desert home, how she had nearly died from lack of water only to dream of it and find it. She showed him the fierceness of the desert warriors, the Fremen, and of the Jihad that followed Paul Muad'dib; her sands wet with blood and the puddles of water in the street in Arakeen. All of this at a cost.

This was a place without Jed-Eye.

But this was a place with her. She had no family but the wide stretches of sand and the creatures of the desert, left alone and pathless for long, long ears even as war tore through her planet. She healed those she could and watched others die, their bodies put in the deathstill to water the seitch. Their water rings were borne by their loved ones and life went on. Life always went on.

Arha recognized Tatooine (such was where Luke had come from) and followed his thoughts as they fled while showing him the Jed-Eye in crystal-clear relief. (Blood and death on his hands, on his sands, grief and rage, so much rage.) The Jed-Eye were family and they were joy--Mara's relief at knowing her son and husband were on the ship was bright and fresh as if it was happening, Arha own deep pleasure at seeing the family reunited, Kyle Katarn's unwavering support as she faced the horror of what had been done to her universe, too, was there.

She showed him the Ohm, then, her sands blotted out in a sea of insectiod aliens that devoured and killed everything in their path. The dying eyes of the child she had tried to protect were freshly burnt into her memory. They were her people, even if she had been alone in their midst, they were her people, and they fought like Fremen to the end. Even as that sharp leg stabbed through her mid section just before she was caught, Arha had been fighting. For her family.

This was truth.

And the same ferocity shone through as she slammed it home.

"I was not Jed-Eye, then," she said in a tight voice. "I am not conditioned, now. Look, see." Her fingertips rested against the edge of the bed. Arha showed him what she saw when she looked at him--the pale angry man, the denial, the refusal to listen to anyone, and how it hindered him. The refusal to deal with the situation at hand, the Ohm, the ship, these were the things that would render him useless. And he was meant for more than uselessness.

She was sure of that, even if he was a Sith Lord, he was not meant to be useless. Arha had hope in this. It mattered not what he thought. This was how she saw him, the light of her own eyes, unaided by the Force. Too, this was how she saw nearly every last person she met--with hope.

[sin_and_misery]

"You cannot win," Vader panted, squeezing his eyes shut. "I will not...allow you..."

He recognized what she was showing him- as though they were half-remembered holos from his own life, snapshots of something he once knew, and had left behind. He recognized how she saw him, he was aware of his faults; but now he buried those doubts deeper within himself, attributing them to his own weakness and lack of skill in the Dark Side.

I am capable of resisting this.

And he...withdrew. Bloody sands, dying children, family, two different but somehow linked galaxies- all thoughts he sent drifting further from his mind, floating away as he curled his thoughts behind battered shields.

None of this is of any concern to me.

Further...and further...

[ladyofthesands]

Arha's fingertip barely touched his hand as she followed him. Retreat would not help when they could use his support against the Ohm. The contact jarred her and a shudder worked down her spine as she was quite suddenly able to see the devastation wrought on his body. She focused most of her energy sifting through the information streaming into her.

Her eyes squeezed shut as she focused, tightening her control until she could see the damaged cells. She stilled and carefully, gently eased a thread of healing that became a light wave that washed over the scarred surfaces and wound its way into the deeper recesses of his lungs. It was restorative, easing, and a combination of the Force and her own healing. The pain would go first, it always did. There was a loop in the assent clause--more of her own ability, less of the Force. Starting slow with her own was easier on the system, less chance of shock. This would be a slow healing, but it would be like soaking in the sun on a hot day. She examined the black spots, the charred sections, and the healthy tissue that still remained, her frown soft.

Restoration was attainable, though it would be terribly difficult.

She could heal his lungs given enough time.

And yet, she had snaked her mind after him, refusing to let go until he faced the reality of their current situation. No trick, just the brutally honest truth of this moment. Arha Masaari was not about to back down from a challenge--not this one. He would be shown the truth and she would spend time healing him. There would be no argument.

She was Bene Gesserit and she was Jed-Eye. She would find a way.

[sin_and_misery]

I will outlast your pursuit, he said, lashing out. You are not allowed in my mind. I have one last place that is free from...

It was at that moment her assault on his mind turned to the physical. For a moment he thought he'd lost feeling in what was left of his body, until he realized he simply was not feeling...pain. Between the calm he was trying to maintain and the sudden removal of stress-

Vader began to slip out of consciousness and into a very rewarding sleep.

[ladyofthesands]

Arha let out a barely audible sigh as he slid toward sleep. Not having to focus on him combating her on that level freed her to focus all her attention on his lungs. It would take many hours of work to rebuild them and she would only do this for an hour--and perhaps place a pain block as well. She was convinced that most of his crabbiness came from pain. And he was crabby and irritable.

Obi-Wan had knocked him down fairly hard (acceptable, considering Vader was trying to murder him) and that had its own effects. Arha knew this first healing would have little effect on his lung function, but the pain would be greatly reduced. When she pulled herself out of the healing session, she found herself too groggy to move at all, and decided she wished to remain still for just a moment.

That moment turned into several.

Arha Massari had fallen into a light doze with her cheek against the edge of Vader's bed, her fingers curled beside his arm. A lazy tendril of a thought escaped, meandering in Kyle Katarn's direction.

...could use. Some food in. Medical?

[mercjedi]

Kyle heard that thought, and frowned. Something was wrong. With as much speed as he could muster he ran to the mess hall, and then made his way to the Med Bay. Why was Arha here? It hadn't felt like she'd been hurt. Force he hoped she hadn't gone to talk to Vader. If he'd done something to her...he forced himself too take a deep breath, and let that emotion pass over him.

Finally reaching the Med Bay he found her dozing on the edge of Vader's bed. Not what he was expecting at all. What the hell was going on? At least she seemed to be okay. Moving forward he gently put a hand on her shoulder to awaken her. "Arha? Arha, it's Kyle. Are you alright?"

[sin_and_misery]

Vader's face curled with an expression of distaste. He murmured something that sounded like 'Jedi' and 'prying' before drifting back into his half-sleep.

[ladyofthesands]

"Mm," was all she could manage for a moment, then half propped herself up, her hair mussed as she sidled a glance at Vader. "Am fine." Her brows furrowed slightly. "He is exceedingly stubborn."

Her eyes found the food and she reached for it.

[mercjedi]

"Most people who turn to the Dark Side are. It's easier for them to keep their hate then to admit they made a mistake." Once he saw Arha reach for the food he handed to her taking a moment to glare at Vader again. Whatever she'd done it had gotten him to be quiet at least. Small mercy that. "What exactly happened here?"

[ladyofthesands]

Eating helped her stave off the need to sleep and she wolfed down what he'd brought like a starving mongrel and did the same to the wafer-esque bowl, too. Once she was finished and the last mouthful of it was clear, then she explained the situation.

"He had a tantrum like a two year old," she said, utterly deadpan, "and refused to acknowledge that the Ohm were a threat. I showed him the threat and he ran away." Like a two-year old. She set her cheek into the palm of her hand and looked wearily pleased.

"I have begun to heal his lungs," Arha added. "He was so busy yelling at me, I do not think he noticed until the last moment that he was no longer in pain. He sleeps, at the least. This man, he is very loud and angry. All the time! Kill the Jed-Eye, ah, nah, nah, raaawr Kenobi, hunt the Jed-Eye, main, kill, destroy. He has said Obi-Wan left him to burn?" Arha sighed. "Such is a sad thing his choices must have been."

"I will be back come the next cycle of that very fake sky to heal more. It will take a great deal of time, I think. It is not a good thing to be so attached to a machine." She frowned a little. "He is a very sad man, this Sith Lord. Sad and angry at everything for many, many reasons. I have patience and he will learn to master his rage."

Arha waved.

"As if he were Shai-Hulud, I shall move. He roars and I shall find the plate under which to slip my maker hooks. Worm-riding is not for those of little faith, so, too, is this task--may it try my patience."

[mercjedi]

It took a lot to shake him up, but after what she'd just told him all Kyle could do was stare at her in shock for a moment. She'd made Vader retreat from her! Vader! To top it all off she'd started to heal him. He didn't even know where to start. It was foolish yes, but at the same time she'd fully lived up to the Jedi code. Finally recovering from his shock he reached out to take her hand.

"I do hope you have that kind of patience. He's going to take a long time to heal, and that's just his body. His mind, his heart are damaged a lot more than that. You've already done more for him than most ever have. More than many people would say he deserves right now. It's not going to be an easy road to get him to change." He paused for a moment to look into her eyes. Those bright, sharp blue within blue eyes. In his own he only showed concern for her. "Are you sure you still want to do this?"

"If you do pursue this I'll be here for as long as you need me, but the others might not approve of what you're doing. It's your decision though, and I know whatever path you choose it will be the right one." He needed to talk to Luke about this. Especially about Arha. She was certainly no longer a student.

[jed_eyed]

"I have patience," Arha said, her voice weary but certain as she curled her fingers around his. Her smile was a glimmer of warmth that was more felt than seen. "I think," she said thoughtfully, "if it were an easy thing that it would have been done many years ago. I can heal, such a thing was given to me for a purpose, perhaps this is one reason."

She paused.

"I care not what others may thing about this venture. It is right to aid him in this manner--in both body and mind. Once he is ready to stop stewing in his own hate and misery, he will be a valuable and wonderful ally against the Ohm. This is not up for discussion. Darkness cannot be combated with anything but light and time." Her expression turned fierce and the hint of the desert heat she carried flashed in her eyes. "I am a rider of Worm and I do not falter when it comes to Sith Lords. One must have the patience to choose when to leap from the sands and what flap to place their maker hooks, so too, much one have patience in such a task as I have begun. Those who wish to complain may do so. It will not alter my course."

Arha nodded just the once.

"I am sure in this," she said. "If none will take this step, I shall. I think it will be a fascinating process."