The screams were easier to bear now. Years ago Luke could not stand to watch Darth Vader interrogate their enemies. But one could get used to anything given time. Luke stood resolutely by the stormtrooper captain. The cantina they had raided was filled with petrified patrons and wary scumbags. The poor unfortunate soul Darth Vader had hunted down was sprawled on the sticky floor. A hulking, pale purple lasat that had stood only a few inches taller than Darth Vader. Well, when he stilled had legs to stand on. He howled and thrashed and threw foul insults at the Sith Lord. A hand was slashed. Luke stepped aside to avoid the flying limb. No one defied Darth Vader and got away with it. The torture was a bloody, grisely thing to watch. But the alien was finally quiet, grunting and whimpering over his devastating, near limbless body as Darth Vader knelt beside him and grabbed the large lasat by his neck. Squeezing as he stood again and lifted the dismembered alien up in the air.

"Where is the Jedi?"

The lasat squeezed his big green eyes shut as he gasped for breath.

"Where is he?" Darth Vader shook him. The lasat did not speak.

The Sith Lord turned and threw the lasat, landing him at Luke's feet.

Luke circled the gasping, nearly limbless creature. "All this could have been avoided." Luke placed a boot on the lasat's remaining arm, pinning the weakened alien as he lowered himself to the ground and placed a hand over the alien's head. "Relax. I will make it quick." The alien had no natural attunement to the Force. And while his mind was indeed strong... Darth Vader had done his part.

The alien had some fight left in him. He struggled against Luke, but all was in vain. Luke still found what he wanted. And when he did the rebel alien died, head rolling away as Luke stood.

"The Jedi was going to meet up with him here." Luke informed his father as he stepped away from the body. "But he has seen us and will be headed out of town. Their ship isn't docked here, they left it at an abandoned fuel station westbound."

Darth Vader nodded and looked to his captain. The stormtrooper quickly relayed a new set of orders to the company.

Luke followed Darth Vader out of the cantina and into the crisp night.

"Your abilities are growing." Darth Vader said as he led the way to the transport.

"Thanks to your teachings."

The Sith nodded. "Prepare yourself, apprentice. The Jedi is in our grasp. There will be no room for error."

"No, Master. There won't be." Luke agreed readily.

~~~

Luke fell back as the Jedi's bright blue blade plunged at him, making the young Sith tumble and use his elbow to cushion his fall. Darth Vader slashed away what would have been a fatal hit on Luke and pressed the attack. His strong build and aggressive offense pushed the Jedi away long enough for Luke to recover. But before Luke could rejoin the duel he turned quickly to defend Darth Vader's back as the obnoxiously painted female Mando re-emerged, charging in with blasters blazing. Luke calmly and easily redirected every shot she fire. The female had no connection to the Force. Luke reached out with the Force, grabbing her with it as she tried to fly to higher ground. Easily Luke slammed her into the duracrete walls of the fuel station. Crippling her instantly. The stormtroopers made quick work of the Mando as Luke returned his attention to his father.

The duel was about to be cut short. The Jedi was no match for Darth Vader. The rest of his friends were dead and his ship up in fierce flames thanks to the imperial transport. There was no outcome that ended with him alive.

"Kanan!"

Luke turned sharply towards the voice. A lightsaber from several yards away lit up. Luke tilted his head and raised his own red blade. There was a cry from behind him. The Jedi was dead. It appeared he left a padawan behind.

"Do what must be done, apprentice." Darth Vader said, taking notice of the approaching padawan.

Luke frowned and adjusted the hold on his weapon. Now the padawan was closer. In the dim light of the setting sun Luke could make out the boy's features. A blue haired boy with an abnormally large nose and an atrocious love for orange. Luke took a few steps forward. The boy was looking on at the cleaved corpse of his master. Big blue eyes in shock at the sight. And then slowly falling into despair and anger when the boy realized the rest of his friends were dead.

Luke waved the troopers down. "Your friends are gone. You have lost. I offer you one chance. Only one." Luke said, taking slow and deliberate steps towards the padawan. "You don't have to die. What power you have does not have to be squandered. Join us." He lifted a hand and offered the distraught boy a small smile. "Don't die here, don't waste your life."

But it seemed Luke's words had fallen on deaf ears. In a sudden fit of rage the boy leaped recklessly forward. Luke was ready, raising his blade to knock the attack aside. The boy tumbled but quickly got back up. Luke was already there, slashing hard and fast. Faster than the inexperienced boy could keep up with. It was a clumsy fight on the padawan's side as he stumbled here and there, just barely avoiding Luke's attempts to end him. But that did not last long. Within moments Luke slashed through the padawan's elbow to disarm him. Before the boy could even scream Luke sliced the padawan's head off.

Despite the relative ease of his victory Luke took a deep breath to ease his racing heart. The heavy, familiar touch of his father grounded him.

"Well done, my young apprentice."

Luke sighed and put his lightsaber on his belt. "It was not a victory, Master. It was a needless slaughter."

"A slaughter." Vader agreed. "But not needless. Jedi cannot be permitted to live. If they will not serve us then they must die."

"I know." Luke inhaled softly. "To Coruscant then? Am I worthy now to see the Emperor?"

"Indeed. You have proven yourself." There was great pride in Darth Vader's voice.
"The Emperor will be pleased."