"Together, we shall defend the ways of the Jedi." - Tycho Zapal, from Collected Wisdom of the Jedi Masters

As they came closer to Vardos, Pete started to panic. The planet looked dark and stormy, and he definitely had a bad feeling about what they were about to do, but nevertheless, Patrick steered the Z-95 into the planet's atmosphere, humming softly to himself as he passed by an Imperial TIE fighter.

While Pete wrote another bad poem in the margins of his copy of Collected Wisdom of the Jedi Masters, Patrick carefully landed the Z-95 in an abandoned shipyard. As soon as they were on the ground, Pete glanced out the window. Now that they were on the surface of the planet, Vardos was even more terrifying - the shipyard was next to a huge Imperial fortress, and every building in sight was similarly tall, harsh, and menacing. Even the sky was the same gray color as the ships in the Imperial Fleet.

"Holy smokes," Patrick said. "We're here."

"No kidding, Lunchbox."

"I'm not going to lie - I'm a little nervous."

Pete was terrified, but he reminded himself why he was here. He was supposed to be Patrick's moral support. He had to support him, even when he could barely support himself.

"You can do this," Pete said. "You can beat Darth Vader."

"What if I can't?" Patrick asked.

"You can, but if things get tough, just sing to yourself," Pete suggested. "Maybe something like, 'I'm Patrick Stump, and I'll go down in history. I'm the cutest Jedi in the galaxy, not to mention the nicest one, and I'll dance alone to the beat of my heart if I have to. I'll beat Darth Vader because I'm literally perfect, and there's nothing I can't do."

"But Pete, that's not..."

"I'm only stating facts, Trick."

Patrick was silent for a moment and then he said, "Pete, if I don't come back..."

"Don't even say that."

"If I don't come back, I want you to know that you're the song stuck in my head, because in all my life, you're the only person that's ever really understood me. We've been through a lot, but I wouldn't take a single moment of it back. I love you to death."

"I love you too," Pete said with a smile. "What a match we are though. I'm half-doomed, and you're semi-sweet."

Patrick chuckled and then said, "I think that's why we're so perfect together."

Pete smiled again, knowing that his boyfriend was right. He never felt as happy as he did when he was with Patrick.

"Well, there's no use in delaying the inevitable," Patrick said. "I should go."

He kissed Pete and then headed for the door, but Pete stopped him. "You should take R1-69 with you," he said. "That way, you won't have to go in alone."

Patrick looked reluctant, but the droid rolled up next to him, and he said, "I guess that's okay."

Pete stole one more kiss, and then he said, "I'll see you soon, Trick. May the Force be with you."

"May the Force be with you too, Pete," Patrick said as he stepped out of the Z-95 with R1 in tow.

As Pete waved to him from inside the ship, Patrick started walking toward the Imperial fortress. He took a breath of the dry, smoky air, and he looked over his shoulder, just to make sure that nobody was watching him. Pete had given him some confidence that he could beat Vader, but now that he was alone, he was afraid again. Just as he was approaching the fortress, a burst of pain shot through his robotic hand, and he wanted nothing more than to turn back.

Then, he remembered what Pete had said. If things get tough, just sing to yourself. He hummed a tune to himself as he stepped closer to the door, and to his surprise, he did feel a little better.

I can do this, he thought to himself. I can free the galaxy from the terrors of the Empire. I'm Patrick Stump, and I'll go down in history.

As soon as Patrick opened the door, alarms started going off. At first, he backed away, but when a group of droids rushed toward him, he ignited his lightsaber, ready to do whatever it took to find Darth Vader and defeat him once and for all.

He swung his lightsaber and smashed the closest battle droid into pieces. Another one started shooting at him, but he easily deflected the blaster bolts with his lightsaber. Then, he spun in a circle, taking out the rest of the droids.

Patrick ran into the building, the alarms still blaring, but as soon as he got inside, three large, gray security droids blocked his way. "Intruder alert! Intruder alert!" one of them shouted, but Patrick immediately sliced through one of its legs, knocking it over. He stepped closer to the other two droids, deflecting their blaster bolts, and then he leapt into the air, hitting them both with his lightsaber as he hit the ground.

Patrick turned off his lightsaber and sprinted down the hallway, adrenaline rushing through his veins. He was scared, but he knew he was ready for this. He was ready to defeat Vader, overthrow the Empire, save the galaxy. It was so close he could taste it. Once this was all over, the galaxy would be free at last.

All of a sudden, he heard heavy breathing, and he knew exactly where to go.

He ran through the fortress, following the sound of the breathing, and eventually, he figured out where Vader was hiding. However, the door was locked, so Patrick hid nearby and listened to what was going on inside.

"I'm sorry, Lord Vader," one of the officers said. "I deployed our security droids, but the intruder must have gotten past them."

"You have failed me..." Vader said, but Patrick didn't hear the rest over the hum of Vader's lightsaber. As he heard the officer scream, Patrick ignited his lightsaber again. When Darth Vader left the room, Patrick would be ready. Today, the Empire's tyrannical rule would end.

A few minutes later, the door swung open, and Patrick jumped out in front of Vader. "Patrick Stump," Vader said calmly as he held his lightsaber in front of him. "I thought I got rid of you on Truwel."

"I'm back with a madness," Patrick said as he swung toward Vader. However, Vader easily parried his attack.

This was how he'd lost last time. Back on Truwel, he'd let Vader gain an advantage, but this time, he wouldn't make the same mistake.

Patrick immediately charged toward Vader, his lightsaber spinning. He managed to strike him in the arm, but it wasn't a strong enough hit. All it did was put a dent in his armor.

He tried to attack again, but Vader parried and counterattacked in response. Soon, Patrick was on the defensive again. He took a deep breath and focused on his footwork, making sure that every block was perfect. When the time was right, he would attack again.

As Vader got more and more desperate, Patrick remained calm, parrying each of Vader's blows until finally, Vader made a mistake. His left side was wide open, giving Patrick the perfect opportunity to strike his wrist. However, he didn't swing hard enough. Once again, the only damage was a small dent in Vader's black armor.

"You're still weak, just like all of the Jedi," Vader said as he swung his lightsaber in Patrick's direction. "If only you knew the power of the dark side..."

Whatever happened to treating the world better than it treated you? Patrick wondered.

"You know, it's a shame that I have to fight you," Patrick said. "I bet you're actually a nice guy under all of that armor."

Vader stepped away for a moment, confused by what Patrick had just said. Patrick immediately realized that this was the perfect opportunity to attack. He stepped closer and swung his lightsaber overhead, ready to strike.

As Vader lunged toward him, Patrick hesitated for just a moment. His heart was pounding, and he'd never been so afraid in his life. What if he was making a grave mistake? What if killing Vader wasn't what the galaxy needed after all?

He only froze for a moment, but it was just enough time for Vader to stab him in the chest.

Patrick screamed as he collapsed to the floor. He could hear Vader gloating over his victory, but his vision was already fading to black, and he could feel his soul separating from his body, rejoining the Force. Death was the last appointment, and now, it was time for him to go.

"Tell Pete..." he said, but he never finished his sentence.

He drew in his last breath, and just before he hit the ground, his body faded until there was nothing there, nothing but thin air. By the time his robes fell onto the floor, he had disappeared completely. Patrick Stump was gone.

Meanwhile, Pete waited inside the Z-95, wondering what was taking Patrick so long. He wished that he had Patrick's powers, that he could reach out through the Force and feel his presence, but he couldn't. Every time his instructors had asked him to reach out and feel the Force flowing through every living thing, he'd felt nothing. He still trusted that it was there - after all, it was as good of an explanation as any for the Jedi's extraordinary powers - but he couldn't use it. Usually, he was okay with that, but it was at times like these that he wished he was different.

Suddenly, R1 rolled onto the ship, clutching several strange objects. She dumped it all on the floor and then let out a series of beeps. It took Pete a moment to translate, but when he finally understood, his heart broke.

I'm sorry, she'd said. This is all that's left of him.

As tears streamed from his face, Pete rummaged through the pile. There was Patrick's blood-spattered robe. His worn-out boots. His glasses, with a crack running through one of the lenses. The same black fedora Pete had stolen for him back on Alsakan. His blue-green lightsaber.

Pete picked up the fedora and held it close, bawling his eyes out as he thought about Patrick. He didn't deserve this. Patrick was only sixteen, far too young to die, and in a way, it was Pete's fault. He'd convinced Patrick to confront Darth Vader, and because of him, he was dead.

They would never get to see each other again. They would never get to have another conversation. They would never go on another adventure. Pete would never make him another cup of tea. He would never hear him sing again. He would never get another chance to tell him just how much he loved him.

Pete opened his copy of Collected Wisdom of the Jedi Masters, but he accidentally flipped to the page where Patrick had written, "Boring planets are safe planets." As soon as he saw those words, Pete cried even harder. He cried until his tears stained the pages and smudged the ink. Maybe he should have followed his advice. If he had, maybe Patrick would be alive right now.

Pete looked out the window, and he saw a group of stormtroopers rushing toward the Z-95. With one hand, he prepared for takeoff, and with the other, he ignited his lightsaber, but his heart wasn't in it.

He'd fight the stormtroopers, he'd do what he had to do, but all he wanted was to disappear to wherever Patrick was.