A Forgotten Dream

His gaze fell on the empty void of deep space that lay beyond the ship's large view-screen, and he thought of all the uncharted star systems out there; he remembered his dream of wanting to visit them; all of them.

"My lord," Can the voice of a crewman next to him.

"We're prepared to jump to light-speed," And then he added;

"With your permission, sir." 

"Proceed." Darth Vader replied in his respiratory assisted baritone.

Vader left the ship's bridge with the words;

"I'll be in my quarters. Notify me when we've reached the Kessel System."

Encased in the solid black meditation chamber the Dark Lord had his sinister black mask removed, revealing his lava scarred face, he breathed the heavy gases that now filled his close chamber. He could not allow any of the crew to see him in such a weak state, it would defeat his image.
Seated, he closed his eyes, ignoring the pain the the movement caused. He let his mind drift back, back to the beginning.
He saw his mother's face, just as he had always remembered it. Why? Why did you have to die? He asked himself; and the answer was no clearer now, then it had been the day he had buried her in the harsh sands of Tattooine, his former home.
His soul still ached with the sorrow of her passing, it ached like the scars across his face.
Another face manifest itself to him, his former Master's, Obi-Wan Kenobi. The very thought of that name only surfaced images of betrayal on the fiery world of Mustafar.

That image slowly faded, and was replaced by dozens, if not thousands more. Younglings, Knights, Masters, all slain by his hand; the grief and sorrow flooded him, and he struggled for breath beneath its sudden surge.
His own Padawan's face appeared in his mind's eye. She was young, eager, book-smart, and ignorant when he'd first met her. And her soul was the only one he'd not freed from this Natural Realm; if she wasn't dead now then she would surely fall.

Why do you grieve, my love? Said the soft voice in his head, he knew it all to well.
"Padm`e," He whispered softly into the thick air. There was no response.
The image of his wife's face in death filled his mind, and banished all other images and tormenting voices.
My love for you extends even beyond death. He heard her say, his mind slowly began to calm as her voice whispered like a small breeze. For once the bitterness and hatred in his soul subsided.
Every second felt like a lifetime to him. He couldn't let this moment slip through his fingers.
Tears began to run down his cheek, their touch caused his skin to burn, but still he wept, wept for all those he'd killed.
He remembered that day when he'd brutally used the Force to choke her, the images relayed in his mind countless times, a testament to what he'd become.
I am a monster. He told himself, it seemed true enough.

A red notification light blinked on the arm of his chair. He pushed a button and he heard the helmsman's voice saying;
"We've arrived at the Kessel System, standing by."
Swallowing his grief and dispare he pressed a series of keys, and his great black mask was lowered over his face to once more confine it.
The sealed meditation chamber opened into two halves and the Dark Lord stepped out once more.
As he entered the ship's bridge he felt a strong Force presence on the planet hovering below.

                                                     --THE END--