Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

My past has tasted bitter for years now,
So I wield an iron fist,
Grace is just a weakness
Or so I’ve been told.
I’ve been cold, I’ve been merciless
But the blood on my hands scares me to death

Upon consideration, crashing happens a lot faster than you would think. With the console flashing, the entire cockpit shuddering and the shriek of a certain droid, Luke found himself wondering how anyone could manage to do anything of any use before impact. That fact however, did nothing to dissuade Luke from trying every trick in the book.
Shoving his blast visor up, Luke heaved on the console, alternating between pressing in commands and just mindless smashing. Along the flank of his x-wing the brilliant burn of golden light started, quickly erupting to cover the entire ship as they entered atmosphere.
Artoo’s garbled cries filtered through his helmet, text screaming across the display in front of him. Luke struggled to read it, shading his eyes against the local sun, which was just starting to breach the planet below him. Alternating between enraged cries and complicated advice, Artoo’s screech only increased as they finally hit atmosphere.
The x-wing jerked as gravity took hold, pulling it hungrily towards the surface.
‘Dammit’ Luke yelled, kicking the frame of his ship. The engines has been blown out, or short circuited, the details didn’t matter, all that Luke cared about was the fact he couldn’t do anything.
A brilliant flare over his shoulder caused Luke to twist in his seat, just as Artoo beeped a warning. The TIE fighter that had shot him down had just broken atmosphere. Its left flank spewing smoke, the whole ship jolting left and right till, with a dying shudder, it started its fatal fall. With grim satisfaction Luke saw the smaller craft gain speed. Its structure was not built for atmospheric battle, and it did nothing to slow its decent, quickly overtaking Luke’s ship. For a brief moment Luke considered shooting it out of the sky, even wrapping his hand around the toggle. His finger ghosted over the trigger before he stopped, the least he could do was give that fighter a chance of saving himself. Resigned he watched it’s hurtling form for a second more before continuing to slam buttons.
Artoo shrieked again, panicked. The force flared a warning and with wide eyes Luke swerved his ship to the right, just as a piece of debre flew past him. Twisting Luke identified it as a piece of an engine. No, Luke thought, stunned, an entire engine. Whipping back to look at the TIE fighter, Luke gaped as another engine flew past. The ship was ejecting its engines. Aghast Luke could only stare as the flank wings were ripped off the TIE fighter, leaving only the cockpit in place. The force heaved, a dark fire suddenly engulfing Luke senses. The power of a collapsing star burned his senses; rippling and pulsing around the other ship, inexplicably slowing its descent.
Without a second thought Luke disengaged and ejected his own engines. Blocking out the roar around him and Artoo’s alarmed whistling, Luke closed his eyes. Drawing on the force he imagined it wrapping around his ship, pulling and supporting it. He grunted with the effort, a trickle of warm liquid dribbling out of his nose. Sensing the dark sun in the force, Luke mimicked its actions, wrapping the force around the ship in thick loops, creating a web of energy.
He felt the drag as the ship slowed, risking a glance out of the window, Luke just had time to see the forestland below him before he was jerked forward in his seat, and everything went black.

The forest twittered. Lazy tendrils of light seeping through the leaves of trees still wet with dew. Every leaf sparkling and shimmering in the light against the rich green that blanketed the entire forest. Like a knife torn through the flank of a beast, a blackened mess stained the forest floor. Unturned trees lay smoldering on the ground as the destroyed trail lead up the twisted wreckage of a ship. A shrill beeping cut through the quiet of the morning.
A whomph sounded, the frame of the ship listlessly rocking as a section torn itself away and flew into forest.
Darth Vader pulled himself out of the wreckage, heaving against the side of the ship. A sizzle started as the side of his armor started to melt against the heat of the ship. The constant, ever present hiss of his respirator was the only sound the dark lord made as he stumbled away from the wreckage. In the distance, a creaking tree snapped and fell, thudding to the ground.
Luke woke up slowly, with extreme reluctance. Coughing, he struggled to move, his arm trapped in the buckled edge of his ship. Opening his eyes, he only saw darkness, his eyes and lungs burning as he called out to Artoo.
The droid, screeched.
‘I’m okay buddy’ he said, wincing at how rough his voice sounded.
Fumbling for the latch to his left, he hissed as the hot walls of the ship singed his fingers. Finally he found the latch, and with a grunt of effort pulled it, manually opening the cockpit.
With a whoosh the darkness was swept away, fresh air washing away the smoke. Squinting against the sudden light Luke gasped in the clean air. Artoo warbled behind him, trapped in the chassis of the ship. Luke sat for a moment, his ribs felt bruised, his harness digging painfully into his side. Licking his lips Luke tasted blood, reaching up gingerly he felt along his nose. Not broken but sluggishly bleeding. Small mercies Luke reasoned.
A crackle brought his attention back to his ship; a small fire was burning in the buckled edge of the ship. He frowned, better to leave now before something explosive catches on fire.
He struggled for a moment with his harness’s clasp, but the impact had warped it, leaving it resolutely stuck in place. Cursing under his breath Luke reached for the force, his head throbbed painfully in response and he stopped with a hiss. Glancing up Luke watched as the fire grew steadily, getting ever closer to the weapons systems. Swearing louder in Huttese Luke twisted looking for something to help.
Artoo whistled anxiously.
‘Give me a second’ Luke muttered, getting more frantic as the heat from the fire started to reach him. His arm was still trapped in the chassis, keeping him from trying to wiggle out of the harness.
Thrashing slightly, Luke wheezed, trying in vane to pull his arm free.
The fire crackled, getting ever closer.
Huffing in pain and panic, Luke tried again to reach for the force. With a screech the metal around his trapped arm pulled away and the clasp on his harness fell away. Luke froze, that hadn’t been him.
A dark sun brushed against his senses. Ignoring the pain in his chest, Luke wrenched himself around, eyes widening as Darth Vader entered the clearing his ship had carved out of the forest. There was a loud snap behind him, glancing around Luke stared as the fire burned into the weapons system. For a moment, there was silence, then with a roar the ammunition ignited.
Luke flew backwards, as if thrown by a giant hand. He slammed into something solid before being engulfed in blackness. The explosion rocked the ground underneath Luke’s feet, sending a shockwave ripping through the forest. Ears ringing Luke could only stare unseeing as an overwhelming burst of heat washed over him. For the second time that day, Luke passed out.

Chapter Text

Vader shuddered, the heat didn’t burn his suit, but he could still feel it pressing against his back. Huddled on the ground he wrapped himself more securely around his son; one large hand cradling Luke’s head against his chest away from the worst of the blast. His respirator, damaged in the crash, wheezed and shuddered; irregularly filling his burnt and damaged lungs.
Holding his position for a moment longer than strictly necessary, he felt Luke go slack in his hold. For a brief moment he panicked, worried that he hadn’t caught his son in time, before he registered his force signature. Still flaring brightly, hotly, with white-hot energy, as surely as the sun. Unconscious then, Vader reasoned.
Once he was certain the worst of the explosion had died down, Vader lent back, Luke still cradled in his arms. A quick visual assessment told Vader that Luke didn’t seem to have any pressing injuries; though he couldn’t tell if there was any internal damage. He growled lowly, his vocorder unable to process the sound. This was unacceptable. Luke needed medical attention, which Vader was unable to give. Twisting to look over his shoulder at the smoldering wreckage that was once a ship, the prospect of finding a med kit died. Clenching his fist against his son’s side, Vader turned back to Luke.
A quick deliberation ran through his mind. In his rush to get to Luke he hadn’t checked his own ship properly. At least it hadn’t exploded yet, he thought bitterly. The sky was quickly lightening so he had time to get back to his ship, find a communicator and call the Executor. Then he could have Luke, safe and secure onboard.
Using the force to feel for Luke again, Vader checked that it would be fine to move him. There was no situation in which he was leaving Luke alone, never again. Satisfied, Vader rose in a fluid motion, or at least attempted to. The crash had damaged the systems in his suit, not life threatening, but impeding on his movement.
Grunting with the effort, Vader struggled to stand with Luke held in his arms. Wrapping the force around him like a second cloak, Vader drew strength from it, easing the struggle to walk.
Starting forward, Vader gripped Luke tightly. He was small, even for his age. Vader frowned under his mask, were the rebels not feeding the boy?
Even as he walked, he found himself constantly checking Luke, either visually or with a brush from the force. It was for Luke’s safety, Vader reasoned to him self, even though he knew it was a lie. The boy had his nose and chin, but his mother’s brow and stature. The tiniest of smiles twitched across the dark lords face, he also had his mother’s strong willed nature. Padmé would have love-.
Vader slammed down that thought, physically stopping to shake his head sharply. He would not think of her.
She was not here, but Luke was; and he would not fail her again. Not again.

Luke stirred.
He was moving, steadily and rhythmically. Pressed against something warm and carefully supported Luke almost fell back asleep. Nearly. Till the last moments before he passed out flashed across his minds eye. He tensed, barely feeling his chest protest. With dread, he slowly opened his eyes, peering up through his lashes. Luke could almost feel his heart stopping.
Darth Vader, he was with Darth Vader. He wasn’t dead; he was with Vader. He was alive and with Vader. Luke’s mind raced in circles, trying to make some sense of what his eyes were telling him.
He was with the Sith lord that had killed his father.
And Darth Vader was carrying him.
The great black helmet swung down to look at Luke. He would deny it until his dying day, but Luke let out a small eep and quickly shut his eyes.
Fight or flight. Fight or flight. Luke froze suddenly unable to do anything. Maybe if Vader still thought he was unconscious he could bide his time or-
‘I know you’re awake young one’ Vader stated.
Flight.
Luke’s eyes snapped open and he flipped out of Vader’s grasp. Hitting the ground with a thud, seeing stars for a moment as his chest screamed in protest. Huffing he scrambled away. Trying to stand and stumbling Luke clawed at a tree to support him. He pushed forward a few steps till he tripped on a tree root. Falling fast towards the ground, Luke shoved his hands forward but never hit it. Strong arms wrapped around his chest, lifting him back onto his feet and supporting his weight.
Blind with panic Luke struggled, till the arms released him, to his surprise, and he fell onto the side of a tree. Twisting around Luke stared with wide eyes at Vader who, damn him, was standing perfectly still and calm. For a few moments the pair stared at each other, Luke heaving and Vader’s rattling and irregular breaths falling heavy between them.
‘Luke-‘ Vader started, reaching out slowly.
‘No!’ Luke yelled, shoving his hand forward. The force hit Vader like a battering ram, already weakened and taken by surprise he stumbled back a few meters, only just managing to catch his footing. Vader stared, Luke was a force sensitive with enough raw power to almost equal his own. What he could do with that untrained potential…
Luke slumped against the tree, legs shaking with the effort to support him. He glared at Vader, initial panic replaced with anger. This man had killed his father in cold blood. This thing had ruined his life.
Vader took a tentative step forward, taking in Luke’s weakened state. He shouldn’t be standing Vader growled in his head; he needs to rest before he hurts himself further. Stubborn boy.
Before Vader could get back within reaching distance Luke’s eyes went from angry to pleading.
‘Why?’ Luke asked, the fight leaving him in a rush, what could he do now but wait for death.
The larger man stopped, his helmet tilting slightly in confusion.
Luke exhaled in exhaustion, ‘why did you kill my father?’ he questioned.
Vader reared back in shock, ‘Your father?’ he grated out, confusion quickly becoming fury.
Luke nodded, head heavy he looked back into the expressionless red lens of Vader’s mask, ‘Why did you kill Anakin Skywalker?’
The sith lord didn’t respond and Luke let out a broken laugh, ‘Do you even remember him?’
Quicker than Luke could have thought possible Vader ignited his light saber, the red glow burning his eyes. Like the death star exploding, Vader’s rage erupted violently. Whipping out around him in tendril of pure power. Luke flinched back, slipping onto the forest floor with his back pressed against the tree behind him. So this is how he was going to die.
With a garbled yell Vader swung his light saber into the closest tree, cutting it down in one swing. The rocks around Luke’s feet started to shake and rise, moved by Vader’s expanding force presence. A swirling mess of rocks and twigs whirled around Vader like a tornado as he started to pace, static growls emitting from the dark lord.
Luke felt as if the sun was darkening with Vader’s rage. The force itself constricting and pulsing around him till he felt he would be lost in the darkness of it.
‘Stop!’ Luke yelled, struggling to even see Vader in the haze of dark rage and rocks flying through the air.
Like the engine being cut off in his x-wing, everything went quiet. The rocks dropped from the air, by some pure luck not hitting Luke. Light filtered back through the trees and Vader’s light saber shut off.
The Sith was staring at Luke, and though he couldn’t see the older mans eyes he could feel the intensity of all his attention focused onto Luke.
The rattling breath cut through the silence, wrenching Luke out of the trance of Vader’s attention. It must have been broken in the crash, Luke absently thought.
‘What’ Vader started, slowly and with unbelievable control, ‘exactly did Obi-wan Kenobi tell you about Anakin Skywalker’? Luke frowned as Vader spat out his father’s name like a curse.
Straightening his neck Luke said, ‘That he was the best Jedi the galaxy had ever seen’, when Vader didn’t interrupt Luke continued, ‘that he was Ben’s apprentice and that you killed him’. Vader could have been a mountain for all Luke could read from the Sith lord. Where there used to be unbridled rage and power, there was only a smoldering pain, tightly leashed and almost impossible to sense.
Becoming more hesitant Luke continued, ‘and that he was my father’
The shift in Vader’s stance was almost imperceptible, but Luke felt as if it were the sun collapsing onto itself for all the emotion it held.
‘No Luke.’ Vader said, ‘I am your father’

Chapter Text

No one had told him, Vader thought with a kind of resignation that he hadn’t felt since the end of the clone wars.
Luke, his son , had grown up thinking that Vader had killed Anakin. With a brutal, dark humor, Vader thought that Luke wasn’t completely wrong. Luke didn’t want Vader as a father; he wanted Anakin, when he had been weak and powerless. His son didn’t even understand the power that Vader held, what he had done, what he had sacrificed to be who he was today. Anakin might as well be dead, everything Vader did he had done to remove any memory of Anakin. The only thing that was of any value to Anakin Skywalker, the only thing that had made Anakin strong was dead and gone. By his own hand and failings. He would not make the same mistake with Luke, he would be strong and powerful and he would protect his son.
The young one was sitting on the forest looking at him, with horror. That was not new; no one had ever looked at Vader with anything other than horror. Except for his master.
Resolution sank into his mind in the place of pain; he must keep Luke from his master. His son was his and his alone; the emperor would have to kill him to ever get to Luke.
‘You’re lying’ Luke said, ‘Obi-wan said-‘
Vader interrupted him, ‘Kenobi lied, young one’
Luke opened and closed his mouth, not comprehending.
‘I was Anakin Skywalker, till I purged his weakness from me and found true power’ Vader continued
Luke was shaking his head, tears gathering in his eyes; his pain felt so clearly in the force it was as if it were Vader’s own.
Vader kneeled onto the ground, level with his son, ‘I can show you young one, the true power of the force’.
Luke was still shaking his head and Vader felt his chest pull at the action. His son would understand, then he would thank him.
With patience Vader didn’t know he still possessed, he waited for Luke to calm down, to accept, and to process his suddenly changed worldview.
The sun was nearly at its peak by the time Luke’s force signature started to even out. Satisfied Vader rose, grunting as his life support systems flickered. Luke jumped at the movement, looking up with a mix of curiosity and apprehension.
‘You are injured my son’ Vader said, as he reached down to grasp Luke’s arm. ‘We need to return to my ship to find medical supplies and summon help’.
Seemingly agreeing to the logic, Luke let Vader help him up. A deep sense of right nestled in Vader’s core at his son’s unspoken, if small, acceptance of him.
They started off slowly, Vader wanting to offer help but Luke reluctant to accept it. Finally they reached a mid-ground of Luke walking under his own power but with Vader’s hand resting on his back.
The world had a soft blur to it that Luke took to mean, in an absent evaluation of him self that he was going into shock. Or already in shock.
Vader’s hand on his back anchored him and trapped him. He was tired, hurting and confused, but all Luke could do was put one foot in front of another and continue forward. All this time Obi-wan had lied. His father was Darth Vader and had been alive this entire time.
Which left the only question that he had left, why did he leave him on Tatooine?
Vader’s force presence was overwhelming. Wrapping around him in much the same way he had seen him do to his ship when they were crashing. Luke could sense a latent anger, but it was smothered by a protective surge, bordering on possessive. He knew that he should be alarmed; scared even to be in Vader’s presence but some part of him was at peace and comforted by the Sith lord’s absolute conviction to protect him. Luke didn’t think he had ever felt anyone feel that strongly about him before. Finally they neared Vader’s downed ship, the still smoking husk peaking through the trees.
A sharp and loud crack rang out.
Vader’s hand resting on his back instantly gripped onto his flight suit, pulling him in front of Vader as the Sith ignited his light saber, crossing it in front of Luke in a clearly defensive gesture.
Both father and son reached through the force to try and find the source of the sound. His head still hurting from the crash, Luke could hardly concentrate. Glancing up at the taller man, Luke could feel Vader’s unease seeping through the force. Judging by the man’s ever tensing form, Vader couldn’t sense anyone either.
The crack rang out again, coming from their left. Vader twisted, pushing Luke slightly behind him. It sounded like a blaster Luke wondered, struggling to see anything through the thick forest. Luke could almost hear the argument running through Vader’s head as his helmet swung from the direction of the crack and back to his ship, then to Luke. Vader muttered something Luke could have sworn was a curse, then stalked towards the ship, taking Luke with him.
Vader nudged Luke towards the cracked open hull of the cockpit as they approached.
‘What’s happening?’ Luke started, looking between Vader and the downed ship.
Shh, young one Sounded in Luke’s head.
Luke jumped, spinning to look at Vader full on, mouth open in shock.
‘Wha-‘ Luke questioned.
Quiet my son, it is I the voice responded in his head. Luke was at a loss, and could only blink at Vader. The voice sounded lighter, more human than Vader’s baritone growl. With a start, Luke realized that Vader must have a vocorder in his suit.
Tentatively Luke reached out with the force till he could feel Vader’s presence.
Is this a force thing? He questioned
Luke heard a chuckle, a god darn chuckle from the dark lord of the Sith, Yes young one
Without realizing it, a hesitant smile reached his face at this newfound ability. He could feel a swell of pride from Vader and he subconsciously preened under the attention.
Another crack sounded in the silence.
Vader instantly sobered, a thread of annoyance working it’s way through the force, before the Sith said You need to stay here, the ship should protect you from any attempted shots
Uneasy with the prospect of being left alone without a weapon Luke replied where are you going?
Vader straightened, to find whomever is trying to threaten us. And without any preamble Vader strode off into the forest, soon lost from sight.
Without much else to do Luke settled into the cockpit of the ship and closed his eyes, reaching through the force. He could feel Vader as surely as he could feel the ground beneath him, but nothing else.
Brushing against Vader’s consciousness, Luke could feel Vader tighten his mental shields for a split second before recognizing Luke and opening up. Allowing the younger Skywalker to get a stronger sense of Vader’s position.
A twig snapped near Luke, and he jerked back opening his eyes. He could feel Vader’s questioning nudge through the force at Luke’s projected alarm.
Slowly peaking out from the edge of the ship, Luke started to stand up. Only to get knocked back down by the brunt of a shrouded figures rifle. Distantly, Luke could here his father scream his name through the force, before he lost consciousness.

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Broken respirator be damned, Vader sprinted back towards the ship, pushing his damaged body faster. Luke was not dead, kept echoing in Vader’s mind. His entire focus locked onto Luke’s still alive force signature, right where he left him but now out cold. Swearing to every god he knew, Vader drew his light saber as he ran, it was stupid, idiotic to leave Luke by himself. Vader emerged from the forest into the clearing and stumbled to a halt.
A small craft was hovering next to his ship, and four figures were busy pillaging the wreckage. The fifth was facing him, with a rifle drawn and pointing at the unconscious form of his son at its feet. Vader hesitated for one of the first times in recent memory. Apart from the bright sun that was Luke, Vader could feel nothing through the force. If he weren’t staring at the figures before him with his own eyes he wouldn’t have thought anyone was there.
The one with the rifle waved cheerily at him, it had a deep hood on obscuring its face, and a bright blue cuff on its arm starkly contrasted the green, brown colors of its clothes. Vader growled at it.
‘Hello Lord Vader’ the creature said, at ease while the rest of its company continued to work. Vader bristled at the apparent disregard these creatures had for the danger they were in. He would kill them all, slowly with extreme care, for even daring to look at Luke.
Continuing, oblivious to Vader’s growing fury the creature said, ‘My name is Hi’an, and my people and I are honored to have you grace our little planet’. Hi’an glanced behind him at the other’s working, ‘please excuse my comrades’ gesturing with his hand placating, ‘we saw the wreckage and thought we might help…’ he paused, considering his words ‘clean up’.
Still not disengaging his light saber Vader took a step forward, dark intent rolling off of him in waves.
Hi’an pushed his rifle barrel against Luke’s head, ‘Ah ah ah, Lord Vader’, under his hood, Vader could see him smile as the dark lord froze.
‘We were wondering who this could possibly be’ Hi’an said as he knelt down next to Luke’s head, ‘to have been under your protection’, the alien ran his fingers through Luke’s hair soothingly.
‘If you utter one more word’ Vader growled, ‘I will obliterate you and your entire planet’.
Unconcerned Hi’an straightened up again, ‘I wouldn’t do that Lord Vader’, gesturing with his rifle he said ‘I can fire this weapon faster than you can choke me’
Vader seethed, quickly trying to assess how to kill every last one of them without harming Luke.
Hi’an laughed loudly, ‘But it is of no matter, we are friends are we not?’
Pushing back his hood Hi’an gestured at the forest around him, ‘You are in my home, and I am very hospitable, you will see’.
Hi’an had large black eyes and green speckled skin, almost the exact same shade of the forest around them; black hair fell in a braid down his back.
‘Come with us, and tell us what you know of your Empire and we will not harm your’ he nodded at Luke, ‘friend’
Changing tact, Vader shut off his light saber and clipped it onto his belt, ‘He is no friend of mine’.
Hi’an tilted his head, ‘then why defend him Lord Vader?’
Crossing his arms over his chest Vader straightened to his full, impressive height, trying to control the erratic breathing of his respirator, ‘He is of import to the Emperor, with a substantial bounty on his head’
Hi’an looked interested, Vader took a step forward, ‘If you provide me with a communicator, or to search the wreckage of my ship, I can secure you such a bounty within a day cycle on this planet’
The green alien nodded to himself, and Vader took another step closer, a mere couple of meters from Luke.
‘It is an interesting proposition Lord Vader’ Hi’an stated, narrowing his eyes in contemplation.
A crack rang out and Vader stumbled, liquid fire erupting across his shoulder. Enraged he turned to see a sixth alien emerge from the tree line with a still smoking rifle.
With a push from the force the alien went flying back into the trees, a satisfying snap sounded as the aliens back broke across a tree. Turning back around to Hi’an, Vader reared back as the smaller alien was within inches of him. Quick as the wind, Hi’an clicked two shackles to each of Vader’s arms. Vader snarled and grabbed Hi’an with the force, holding him in the air by his throat. Instead of struggling Hi’an only smiled, fingers sliding against his own blue cuff.
Electricity erupted along Vader’s arms, instantly short-circuiting the hydraulics and life support in his suit. The visor inside his mask went black and his lungs ceased expanding.
Dropping Hi’an in shock, Vader worked his mouth soundlessly, feeling his throat jerking as he tried in vain to inhale. Vader sent out a last, desperate push through the force, which sent some of the approaching aliens flying back away from Luke, before crashing to the ground.

Hi’an rubbed at his neck. It would bruise most certainly, a spectacular bruise that Hi’an would wear with pride for he was the one from their clan to take down the infamous Darth Vader. Hefting his rifle over his shoulder Hi’an waved in the direction of the fallen Sith.
‘Ensure he doesn’t perish’ he said, attention diverted to the small blond human that Vader had caused so much trouble over.
He was certain that if the young boy hadn’t been there they would all be dead, as it had stood Hi’an had taken a huge risk in guessing that the boy even meant anything to the Sith. While his ploy had paid off it did leave them with a bit of a puzzle. What to do with the boy?
Brushing a finger against the welt forming on the boy’s head from his rifle Hi’an huffed. The only thing they needed was Vader’s cooperation and information. If the boy was indeed important, he could be used as leverage. Then once his use had dwindled he could make a tidy profit from the bounty, if there was such a thing. A shame really, that the boy had to be dragged into this mess.
Sparing a glance at the prone Sith he watched with interest as one of his men prodded reluctantly at the control panel on Vader’s chest. Brows creasing Hi’an looked at the unmoving body of the dark lord; this would all be for nothing if Vader died.
Finally the right button was found and the control board blinked a couple of times before becoming a steady light. Vader heaved a breath, his entire body jerking harshly. His men scrambled back, fingers on triggers; but the sith remained unconscious.
Hi’an watched for a minute more. The breaths were irregular and made an unsettling noise but it would have to do.
With a whistle Hi’an summoned his men and waving his hand above his head, they all started to pile back into the transport. It took three people to lift Vader’s body into the belly of their ship, unceremoniously dumping the body on the ground. With ease, Hi’an picked up the blond human and threw him over one shoulder, lying him down next to the Sith with exaggerated care.
In a matter of minutes the transport rose in the air and shot off, the still smoking ship becoming a speck in the distance.

Chapter Text

When Vader woke up, it was not pleasant. Though his lungs were always an incessant burn in his chest, one that he had learnt to ignore with time, this new raw shredded feeling did nothing for Vader’s mood.
The respirator, damn it, was still malfunctioning, and even if he had the time, Vader doubted that he would be to fix it himself. Ignoring the labored breathing and his scorching lungs, Vader forced his eyes open. He was in a cell. He grunted in boredom, unoriginal and unlikely to hold him for long.
His arms were bound behind his back, flexing his hands he got increasingly more irate as his fingers lagged slightly, twitching without his control. The electricity must have damaged the circuitry. That at least he could fix himself, if only both hands weren’t affected.
By some stroke of luck, the sniper had been able to hit one of the least protected sections of Vader’s body. The shot had gone clean through his shoulder, but aside from the initial shock it had caused, he disregarded the injury as inconsequential.
Vader sat against the wall for a moment, brushing his bonds lightly with the force to ascertain how best to disable them; when a thought lazily made its way across his mind, reminding him of why he was in a cell.
Surging to his feet, Vader called out to Luke across the force. Disorientated from the sudden movement, he listed slightly, swaying in place, and forcing him to lean heavily against the wall again. Pushing aside his own discomfort he concentrated more completely on Luke.
His son’s force signature, over mere hours, had become so familiar to him that Vader found he always had at least some sense of where Luke was. So with speed that he previously was unable to attain, Vader located Luke. Unharmed, or at least relatively unharmed Vader growled to himself, but still unconscious. Being an unknown variable, the locals might not have him under such heavy guard Vader contemplated. A quick wide sweep still yielded revealed nothing, Luke was the only alive being that Vader could sense. Briefly debating it to himself, Vader decided to wake Luke up; in the hope that he could aid in their escape.
But when he reached for his son, Luke slipped through his fingers like smoke. Alarmed, Vader tried again. Still Luke was untouchable. He could sense his son, feel his presence, but couldn’t brush against his mind.
Switching his concentration, Vader attempted to break the bonds securing his arms, but the force slipped out of his reach. The dark lord straightened in shock. He could feel the force but not access it.
The door to his cell slid open.
Hi’an walked in. Out of his cloak he wore a simple tunic, his hands held behind his back. Vader stiffened at his obstructed view of the blue cuff, pushing himself to stand unassisted away from the wall. Vader noted a quiet figure follow in behind Hi’an and stand near the door.
On a whim, and with extreme prejudice, Vader wrapped the force around him and threw it at Hi’an. By all accounts the sheer strength of that push should have broken all his ribs, but the green alien stood relaxed and still.
‘Greetings Lord Vader’ Hi’an said with an obnoxious amount of cheer in the Siths opinion. Vader loathed individuals that continued on with their act of false kindness after capturing someone. There was no need to be coy, Vader knew why he was here and didn’t believe for a moment that Hi’an held any respect for him.
Hi’an continued on undeterred, ‘I assume by your disposition Lord Vader that you have noticed the precautions we have taken’ a feral smile split Hi’an’s face, ‘to ensure your, compliance during your stay’ Hi’an looked ecstatic at his news, and gestured happily at the figure behind him, ‘you have Cur’ia to thank for that’. Cur’ia flicked his eyes between Hi’an and Vader lip curling distastefully as he crossed his arms across his chest.
Vader spared a moment to observe the new comer, but without the assistance of the force he could glean nothing from the stranger. A blue cuff was shinning on Cur’ia’s arm however, and Vader spared a sharp glance back at Hi’an; mind spinning to determine it’s use.
Dismissing that train of thought, Vader returned his attention briefly back to Luke’s presence, ensuring he was still stable; before stepping towards Hi’an.
‘Return the boy to me’ the Sith stated, inwardly wincing as his voice was tinged with static; his vocorder apparently also damaged by the electricity.
Hi’an scrunched his nose, tilting his head and giving exaggerated thought to the request; before simply saying, ‘no. I think not.’
That was unacceptable.
Vader moved forward, though without access to the force, a deeply unsettling fact, his stature still had him at almost twice the size of the aliens.
Hi’an’s smile slipped off his face and he brought his arm forward, ‘Now we don’t want any unneeded trouble do we Lord Vader?’, the green alien held his hand threateningly over the cuff.
Pausing for a moment, Vader waited till Hi’an relaxed and dropped his hand before surging forward. Hi’an’s eyes widened and with a yelp dived out of the way. Hardly caring, Vader moved towards Cur’ia in two long strides, then without hesitation brought his leg up and kicked Cur’ia’s legs out from under him. The local hit the floor and had a brief moment to yell something indistinct before Vader sent his heel crashing down on his head. Green blood, Vader noted absently.
Turning he moved away from the crushed skull and stared at Hi’an. The green alien had turned an interesting purple shade, but before Vader could move towards him, Hi’an slammed his hand down on the blue cuff.
Electricity exploded from Vader’s bindings and wrapped around his chest. His knees hit the ground with a crash. Struggling against the powerful current, Vader looked back up at Hi’an and started to climb to his feet. Not making the same mistake twice, Hi’an quickly flicked the cuff, increasing the voltage and sending Vader crashing back down.

Hi’an stalked out of the cell, wiping specks of blood off of his arms. The two guards standing outside of the cell jumped at his sudden appearance, hands flying to their weapons. Waving them off Hi’an continued down the hall, cursing the Watcher for his folly. They had been warned of the danger of capturing the Emperors most devout follower; and of course Hi’an had heard the stories of worlds being burned in the Sith’s wake. The relatively easy capture of Vader had lead Hi’an to believe that the stories where just that, stories. At most, exaggerated myth.
Arriving at a nondescript door he slammed his hand against the access panel.
Cur’ia was an unfortunate loss, but one that they could ultimately continue without. In the meantime Vader’s handling would have to be adjusted to facilitate for his rather violent predilections.
As the door slide open, the streak of light from the corridor illuminated a small figure lying on a bench. It was raised off of the ground and bare except for a light cloth, making it the only furnishing in the room. Hi’an slowed as he entered the room, allowing the door to close behind him and return the cell to darkness. Perching himself on the edge of the bench, Hi’an reached up to stroke his fingers gently across the slumbering face. Paying no mind to the green blood he was smearing across the boys cheek.
While Vader had proven to be a bit more troublesome than Hi’an had hoped, this was only their second meeting. The Sith had time to accept his new situation before Hi’an would return for the proper start of the extraction.
Fishing a small comm unit out of his tunic with his free hand, Hi’an clicked it on and held it to his mouth.
Quietly he muttered, ‘Bring a medic to room 14B’, he started to lower his hand before absently adding ‘and remove the body from the guest suite’
Perhaps, with a little gentle prompting, the boy would prove to be more useful than his dark counterpart.

Chapter Text

Luke stirred. Musky air greeted his senses, a touch too cold for his liking, and he was almost tempted to fall back asleep. His mind stuttered, catching up with his quickly waking body and supplied the memories of his last moments of consciousness in some demented form of a slide show.
Pondering his situation, Luke decided to keep his eyes closed.
Either he had been captured by whichever nerf-herding dick knocked him out, or Vader had recaptured him. If he considered Vader’s protective escorting ‘capture’. His head throbbed, and Luke made peace with the almost certain welt that was forming.
Regardless of his current captors, Luke decided that he was too tired and annoyed at falling unconscious (again) to really bother with the effort of caring to wake up properly.
The universe was apparently not in agreement with Luke’s decision, for as soon as he started to slip back to sleep cold fingers brushed across his forehead.
Jedi in training or not, Luke yelped and sat up, casting the force around him. Instantly he grunted as his rib cage gave a sharp stab of pain. Wrapping and arm around his middle, he blinked as he felt a cool wetness. The room was near completely dark and under the heavy air he quickly smelt the sharp tang of bacta patches.
Bacta? Luke thought, confused, reaching up to feel his head he encountered the same cool wetness.
Lost in thought, Luke jumped again as a hand touched his ankle.
“Who? What?” startled Luke strained his eyes to see anyone but utterly at a loss as the force told him no one was there.
“Ah, of course” a voice sounded next to him, and Luke found himself scooting further away from it, “my apologies. Lights please”
The room lit up instantly, the sudden brightness making Luke squint. As his eyes adjusted, the figure of a green alien came into form, with another, slighter figure standing further away next to a trolley.
“Who?” Luke repeated, glancing between the two strangers.
The alien chuckled good-naturedly, “My name is Hi’an, and my companion is Risa N’uike” gesturing behind him.
The other alien, Risa N’uike gave a small smile and said “Risa is fine”.
Luke sat in silence, trying to process what was happening, when he noticed Hi’an looking at him expectantly.
“Oh” Luke said, “My name is Luke Skywalker”
Hi’an hummed happily, and patted Luke on the ankle again, “we are sorry for your injuries, Risa here has been treating you”
Glancing at Risa Luke gave a small nod of thanks, saying cautiously, “why am I here?”
A frown briefly creased Hi’an’s face, and Risa busied herself with the trolley. Causing Luke to shift in unease.
“We found you in the most unsavory company” Hi’an said, slightly shaking his head.
Now Luke frowned in confusion, unsavory company? Who? Ah, his father.
His father? Luke’s frown deepened, when had he accepted Vader as his father? And where was Vader? Instinctively Luke reached out through the force, easily finding the dark sun of Vader not too far away. From his brief brush of his father’s mind Luke was almost overwhelmed by the intense rage felt by the other man. He almost backed away from the connection before Vader; seemingly sensing Luke’s tentative touch instantly focused all of his powerful attention onto Luke. Struggling to not be lost in that power, Luke was slightly relieved to feel the irate Sith calm minutely. Gently brushing his father’s mind again, Luke tried to communicate as they had done in the forest, but felt their connection slip apart. Frowning, Luke concentrated harder, but he may as well have being trying to catch a shadow for all the progress he was making. Vader sent a burst of reassurance across their connection, and Luke bristled at its slightly patronizing tone, though quietly appreciating the gesture.
Lost in thought Luke didn’t hear Hi’an’s next question, only brought out of his internal musings when the green alien tapped him on the leg.
“Sorry, what was that?” Luke said, berating himself for losing concentration.
“We were only wondering what brought you into such company, young one” Hi’an stated again.
Luke’s skin crawled at being called ‘young one’ by Hi’an, surprised at his own reaction due to his earlier acceptance of the term from his father.
“He’s my fa-“ Luke started before catching himself, he wasn’t completely sure he wanted to admit to perfect strangers that his father was a dark lord of the Sith. Stumbling Luke corrected himself “He captured me after both our ships crashed”
The green alien nodded to himself, fiddling with a blue cuff on his wrist.
Luke eyed it, flicking his gaze to spot an identical one on Risa; but quickly dismissing it as most likely being a cultural thing.
“Yes, that is understandable” Hi’an said calmly, “He said you had quite the bounty on your head, now why would that be?”
“I’m a rebel pilot,” Luke said without thought.
Hi’an smiled happily, squeezing Luke’s arm.
“Ah then we are friend! Comrades!” Hi’an replied with gusto. Luke only nodded dumbly, taken aback by Hi’an’s joyous reaction.
“This changes things most certainly” Hi’an continued, “Risa, find our friend some food”. The smaller alien nodded and exited the room, leaving Luke alone with Hi’an.
Keeping his hold on Luke, Hi’an said, “We are most fortunate to have found you, the Watcher is smiling down upon our meeting”, glancing at the ceiling then back to Luke.
Finding himself more at ease Luke smiled back at the green alien.
“Look I’m stranded here my ship…” Luke started, then froze horrified, “Artoo!”
Hi’an leant back at Luke’s outburst, tilting his head.
Luke stumbled upright despite his injuries and made for the door, before realizing he had no idea where he was. In a panic he turned back to Hi’an, who had remained sitting.
“My Astromech!” Luke said, “He was on my ship, about this big” holding his hand just next to him at the hips. Hi’an stared, confused, and Luke responded by shaking his hand slightly to emphasis it’s placement. As if expecting Hi’an to suddenly remark, ‘Oh yes, that droid!’
Undeterred Luke continued, “He was on my ship, I need to go and get him!”
At his point Hi’an stood up and placed his hands on Luke’s shoulders soothingly.
“I am sorry my friend” Hi’an said, “We searched the wreckage and found no droid”
Luke slumped, the fight draining out of him in a rush. Hi’an guided Luke back to the bench and nudged him to sit. In a daze, Luke complied. He could not believe that the little Astromech was gone, while simultaneously appalled at him self for forgetting his friend for this long.
“I am sure we can-“ Hi’an started before a quick beep interrupted him. With an apologetic look at Luke, who hardly noticed, Hi’an pulled out his comm unit.
“Yes?” Hi’an said. He paused, listening to the response. Pinching his lips in annoyance Hi’an replied, “I will be there shortly”.
Turning back to Luke Hi’an patted the younger man on the shoulder, “I need to attend to something, Risa will be here soon with food”, before quickly walking out of the door tapping at the blue cuff on his wrist.
Once alone, Luke stared numbly at his hands. It was inconceivable that Artoo, the only thing he had left from Tatooine and one of his most trusted friends could be gone. With an even stronger wave of grief, Luke wondered how he could be expected to break the new to C3-PO.
Under his pain, Luke felt tugging at his mind. Akin to someone furiously knocking on a door. With mild surprise, Luke recognized it as his father’s force presence frantically trying to catch his attention. Confused Luke immersed himself more fully in the force and reached for his father. Brushing the Siths mind he felt overwhelming worry, panic and a trace of fear. Oh, Luke thought, some of my emotions must have leaked through to my father. He sent a small wave of reassurance across their bond, but before he could properly respond to the intense emotions he felt his mind explode in pain.
Screaming at the sudden burning Luke grabbed at his head, falling off of the bench and onto the floor.
The door to his room slid open and something fell to the floor with a crash before cool hands pressed against his neck, attempting to pry his hands away from his face.
Shaking, Luke barely registered what was happening around him before the pain cut off as abruptly as it had started and he went slack.

Chapter Text

“I’m sorry sir, we tried to stop him but-“
“Shut up”
Hi’an stared at the display screen, tapping his fingers against his thigh. In grainy, black and white quality, Vader could be seen bashing against the closed door. Though his hands were still bound behind him, the Sith didn’t seem deterred in the slightest. Choosing instead to bodily throw him self against the metal door, or kick it furiously. Having seen the power behind those kicks, Hi’an wasn’t surprised to note that the cell door was already starting to buckle under the strain.
“This will not do” Hi’an muttered. The guards behind him rustled in unease, gripping their weapons more tightly.
One guard stepped forward, till he was next to Hi’an, and said, “Sir, should we?” before trailing off, at loss at what he could actually do.
Hi’an stood in silence, watching the Sith continue to throw himself at the door.
Abruptly he turned sharply on his heel and strode towards Vader’s cell, a quick hand motion signaling the guards to follow him. Pausing outside the door, which was making a worrying groaning sound, Hi’an waited till the guards had stationed themselves behind him with weapons drawn.
Holding one of his hands aloft Hi’an reached for the control pad, waited a second more, and then threw his hand down as he opened the door.
Vader was a meter or so behind the door, looking for all intents and purposes that he was about to throw himself at it again. Freezing, the Sith raised his head as he considered Hi’an and the guards standing in his way.
It was a tense moment, the guard’s quick pants behind Hi’an ghosted along his shoulder. In the corner of his eye he could see one of the raised weapons shaking slightly. News of Cur’ia’s death, it had seemed, spread quickly.
Partly obscured in shadow, the Sith didn’t move.
Hi’an, keeping his hand within inches of his cuff, stepped into the doorway.
“Lord Vader that isn’t a very kind way to treat your hosts” Hi’an said, his voice relaxed but his whole body was evidently coiled, ready to dive back out of the cell. Vader took an ominous step forward.
“Now Lord Vader I-“ Hi’an started, fingers twitching. But before he could finish, to his complete surprise Vader froze. Hi’an stuttered, “ah”, the guard’s behind him also inhaling sharply in shock. Was a little electricity all it took to tame a Sith?
The dark lord straightened, tilting his helmet as if intently listening to something.
Hi’an studied him, “Lord Vader?” he enquired. But was completely ignored.
That, Hi’an thought, would not do.
He slammed his hand on the cuff, watching with interest as Vader jerked, a strangled grunt making its way to Hi’an’s ears before Vader hunched over, cutting it short.
Stopping the electricity, Hi’an walked into the cell with boosted confidence, coming to a stop before the Sith. The rattling, offbeat sound of Vader’s respirator filled the space, and Hi’an wondered if its purpose had something to do with the atmosphere, or Vader’s own health.
With his newfound height advantage over Vader’s hunched form, Hi’an reached forward, grasping the back of the Sith’s cape. Putting as much strength as he could into the movement, Hi’an pushed the Sith down enough to drive his knee into the charred wound on Vader’s shoulder.
Though Vader stumbled back at the blow, he vexingly didn’t make another sound. Engrossed in the difficult act of breathing, Vader swayed on the spot. Before swinging his helmet back up to look at Hi’an, the silence that followed as insulting as any backhanded comment.
Growling in rage, Hi’an spun, grabbed a hold of one of the guards guns and leveled it at the Sith, who didn’t so much as flinch.
“I will not be shown such disrespect Lord Vader” Hi’an said, priming the weapon, “you will apologize for the damage you inflicted on the door”.
Vader continued his silent stare, before rasping, “For any harm you have done to Luke, I will triple it onto everyone under your command”.
With a crack, Hi’an fired the weapon. Tearing its way through Vader’s leg and leaving a sharp metallic smell in the air.
Though pushed back against the wall from the force of the shot, Vader didn’t break his stare with Hi’an. A raspy, static filled sound emitted from the Sith, one that Hi’an interpreted as a mirthless chuckled.
“You will have to try hard than that alien, to harm me” Vader stated.
Even with Vader’s expressionless mask, Hi’an could feel the sick enjoyment the Sith was feeling at the evident panic that had gripped his own men.
Hi’an narrowed his eyes, and then turned sharply, shoving the smoking weapon into one of his comrade’s arms before stalking out of the cell. Hurrying after their leader, the guard’s quickly left as well, the door closing behind them with a less than smooth motion.
Vader slumped against the wall behind him. His leg, while still registering feeling, was at most an inconvenience to the Sith. The damage done by the electric shocks and now gunshot left the leg smoking and jerking occasionally. Sliding to the ground, avoiding his reignited shoulder, Vader berated himself for his lack of control.
The panic that had overcome him when he had sensed Luke’s distress was unbecoming of a Sith. Even worse, his relief at finally catching his son’s attention had left his shields lax; easily conveying the extent of Vader’s pain to Luke through their bond. He had slammed the connection closed as quickly as possible, and used most of his energy to maintain a tight hold over his shields. Protecting Luke from any further pain.
What left Vader still furious however, was he didn’t know the cause of Luke’s initial distress. He cursed the stars again for whatever was blocking him from completely accessing the force.
With that thought, he lowered his shields minutely; ensuring that the lingering pain he felt wouldn’t be conveyed, and reached for Luke’s presence.
Almost instantly, his son’s blinding consciousness wrapped around him. The tendrils of energy swept along his senses, and curiously poked at his still raised shields. Gently guiding Luke away from what he could not sense, Vader reached out to access Luke’s own state. Except for the most rudimentary natural protection, Luke had almost no shields.
What a fool Kenobi was, Vader thought, to expect Luke to survive against the Emperor without even the most simple of mental shields. Even Jedi Initiates had more protection that Luke. Once they escaped, and Luke was safely back onto his warship, he could begin to give Luke the 21? years of training he had missed.
For the meantime, Vader settled for wrapped thick layers of his presence around Luke, providing a temporary shield that could be maintained as long as Vader was still functioning.
For a brief moment, the Sith could feel his son send confusion, then annoyance along their bond; before curiosity won out, and Luke settled for probing Vader’s makeshift shield with interest.
Without any access to the world around them, Vader and Luke intermingled along the force for what could have been hours. It was an enlightening time for the Sith, he was unused to being in the presence of another force user so intimately, one bathed in the light side even more so. While Vader was content to merely rest and let their connection ebb and flow naturally, Luke was restless. Further proving his heritage as a Skywalker.
For a while Luke entertained himself with attempting to mimic Vader’s protective covering over his mind back onto the Sith. It was a redundant action, as Vader’s own shields far surpassed anything Luke could produce, but the attempt was amusing, even endearing to the older man.
Content to wait until Hi’an or one of his followers returned, Vader conserved his strength. It would only take a moment of lapsed judgment for Vader to escape, make his way to Luke and get them to safety.
Then return to destroy this entire facility. If that proved to be inadequate, the destruction of the planet would have to suffice.

Chapter Text

On a forest filled planet, the sun peaked its way over the horizon. Golden light washed the trees with light, causing the green leaves to shine and glimmer. The spectacular array of stars that scattered the night sky were quickly disappearing from view as the sun turned the great expanse above the planet a soft pink, rich red and finally the gentle start of blue.
Far underground, where the sunlight didn’t reach, nor the changing seasons, a hanger was carved out of the earth.
Low transports rested next to each other, the canvas coverings and assortment of tools packed away neatly. It’s quarry, had been unloaded and stacked just as neatly along the opposite wall. Ordered in terms of usefulness, then size.
Amongst the heaps of scrap metal and electronics, a small, dusty black shape shuddered.
With an alarmed whistle and flashing of light, the droid guttered forward, damaged and misshapen wheels carrying it across the hanger in jerky movements. After a minute of determined movement, the little droid collided with the hanger doors. Shrieking indignantly, the droid backed up till it could beep and whistle at the solid metal from a more manageable distance. When the door neither moved, nor gave any intention of moving, the droid shuffled it’s way to a control panel.
A small compartment on the droid opened with difficulty, the black gunk and warped metal that covered it protesting the movement. With practiced ease the droid connected to the mainframe of the computer system; and upon finding it’s security system lacking, promptly hacked it and opened the large doors. Pleased and with no small amount of pride, the droid continued on it’s way.
In a completely separate area of the underground complex, a smaller, more damaged door opened.
Vader raised his head.
Sending a pulse of reassurance to Luke, he quickly closed off the majority of their connection, ensuring that any of Hi’an’s actions didn’t affect his son. It was suddenly, with want for a better world, empty in Vader’s mind. A frown creased the sith’s face, he had not realized how quickly he had become accustomed to Luke’s unique presence. It was a quickly strengthening dependence that he found troubling. He had not been willfully dependent on another being for more than twenty years.
In front of him Hi’an crouched down.
It infuriated Vader that he couldn’t rise to Hi’an’s height, but his damaged leg would surely collapse. And unless he wanted to hop towards the green alien, he judged it better to stay seated.
“Hello again Lord Vader” Hi’an said, as ever his tone of voice sounded as if they were mutually respected acquaintances.
Vader sated some of his rage by throwing concentrated blasts of the force at Hi’an. It did nothing, but it was at least mildly amusing to imagine what would happen if it did work.
“Your continued imprisonment of me and my companion will only prolong your suffering” Vader intoned.
Hi’an didn’t react, either confident in his own power or underestimating the grave reality of Vader’s threat.
With a conspiratorial look behind him at the guards, Hi’an leaned a bit further forward and murmured, “These men behind me are not as patient as I am Lord Vader”
Gesturing vaguely in front of himself Hi’an continued, “They have methods to extract information that I find, uncivilized. I’m sure you will understand the techniques that I am alluding too.”
Hi’an tapped Vader on his outstretched leg, and then sat back on his haunches, a smile gracing his face, “Perhaps you were planning to use such methods on your companion”
Vader growled, shifting himself forward as rage built around him, more potent than even the physical world in front of him. How dare he insinuate such a thing. The action, the mere thought of harming his son repulsed Vader; far more than anything he had done under the name of the Emperor.
Though oblivious to the force, the static rasp that filtered out of Vader’s helmet was enough to convey to Hi’an all that he needed to know. While Vader’s emotional attachment to the young boy was highly unusual and intriguing to the alien, he filed the information away for later use. For the present time, his men were itching for some entertainment.
In a fluid motion that Vader couldn’t help but envy in his present state, Hi’an rose to his feet.
“I will return once I can be ensured of your more complacent cooperation Lord Vader” Hi’an said, before sharply turning and striding out of the door.
The five guards closed ranks as the cell door slid shut behind Hi’an.
Vader considered them, checked his mental shields, and then lent back against the wall. What would come would come. He had endured pain before, and he would do it again.
The first guard stepped forward and sharply kicked the bend in Vader’s outstretched leg. The Sith allowed a smile to twist his features when the alien yelped in pain, his foot meeting hard durasteel instead of malleable flesh. Chattering to themselves in their native tongue, it wasn’t soon till another guard stepped forward to kick Vader again. This time in his much more fragile torso, her boot an inch away from the control panel on Vader’s chest. Grunting at the hit, Vader maintained his analytical watch over his attackers. When the alien went for a second kick, he caught the outstretched foot with his hands and twisted, snapping the ankle and causing the alien to scream in pain. Stumbling back but quickly caught by her companion.
Two discouraged, three to go.
One of the guards, ambling near the door, reached over his shoulder and drew out a short blade, which crackled with electricity. Drawn to the sound, Vader missed a smaller lithe guard dart forward and smack the control panel on his chest. Enraged, Vader swung out to catch the guard but she darted out of reach. It was obvious that the move was completely random, as no particular dial was targeted. However, his life support was reducing the oxygen intake, causing his vision to spin.
Before Vader could rectify the switches, the electrical blade was shoved through his arm. While a weaker charge than what Hi’an used, Vader’s body shuddered as the electronics malfunctioned again, a muffled groan making its way through Vader’s clenched teeth.
With renewed confidence, the three remaining uninjured guards hurried forward and pulled Vader off of the wall till he was stretched on the ground. The guard with the blade straddled the Sith, still gripping the hilt of his weapon; his companions hurrying to pin Vader’s legs.
Belatedly, Vader thought that the precaution was unnecessary. Even through the filtered air of his respirator he could smell the burning metal of electronics warping and failing. Though the repeated electrical shocks were wreaking havoc with his entire body; the concentrated focus of the blade rendered his right arm completely useless. A dead weight that did nothing but pin Vader further.
The alien on top of him tapped a thin finger against the red visor of his mask. Early tendrils of fear raised its ugly head and Vader struggled to rein it in; divert it into rage and anger. His respirator did nothing for his failing emotional control, as it continued to wheeze and rattle; the reduced oxygen making the aliens face bend and contort.
Using what little movement he had left, Vader bucked sharply, trying to dislodge the guards.
“You will…” Vader started to growl, wincing when his respirator rattled loudly and cut him short.
Bucking again and pushing his upper body slightly off the ground Vader growled again, “You will release me now ” The order filling the room with its intensity.
“I do not think I will” the alien said, obvious glee on his face.
Reaching down, the alien hit a switch on the control panel, causing Vader’s respirator to cut out entirely.
Opening his mouth uselessly, Vader struggled to draw air. Cursing in his mind the idiotic placement of the stars forsaken control panel. When he returned to his ship he vowed to snap the neck of the first medical engineer he could find.
Darkness started to seep into Vader’s vision, and the Sith had begun to resign himself to it before the alien switched the respirator back on.
With a heaving movement, his lungs expanded again. Drawing in the sweet, metallic tasting air. Fighting to get himself under control Vader started to growl another threat, but was cut off as the alien flicked the switch back off.
The jolting removal of oxygen again, had Vader slamming his head back onto the ground, thrashing slightly. His vision was fading, and he instinctively lashed out with the force, before trying to wrap it around himself as a protective shield. It of course had no effect, but to his horror he felt Luke brush against his mind in worry.
Just as suddenly the air was returned and Vader slumped, closing his eyes to try and re-regulate his breathing. Sub-consciously he strengthened his shields to keep Luke out, too disorientated to even offer reassurance.
A tap sounded on his helmet.
“Now that we have all calmed down” the alien said, “I would like to ask you some simple questions”
Vader didn’t respond, giving himself time to struggle back to full consciousness.
Undeterred, the guard continued, “Where are the main trade routes for the Empire in this sector?”
The Sith, for a moment, was stunned. These insolent, brutal creatures wanted trade routes from him? Of all the information that they could ask for, battle plans, weapons schematics, locations of bases or even the Emperor himself; they wanted simple supplies.
Vader was sure, that somewhere in the Force, Kenobi was laughing at him.
“Too long Vader” the alien said, clicking his tongue.
The switch clicked as the respirator cut out. Struggling to breath again, Vader dimly noticed the alien pulling out a smaller knife and carving into his immobile arm. With the practiced ease of someone used to skinning prey, the guard peeled off of the black mesh and revealed the dura steel prosthetic. Eyes still intently on the metal arm, the guard reached with the calm movement of remembering an after thought, and flicked Vader’s oxygen back on before he could completely pass out.
The knife tapped on the arm with a clink of metal, the steady tempo offset with the uneven breaths of the Sith.
“Are all of your limbs metallic Lord Vader” the guard said, with almost genuine curiosity. Vader chose not to answer; or rather his burning throat and shuddering lungs prevented him from answering.
The guard dragged his blade up Vader’s arm and across his chest, resting it on the edge of the control panel. “I will ask again, what are the trade routes for Empire vessels in this sector”, the guard stated, pressing the blade again Vader’s flank.
“I do not know” Vader gritted out. Though he wished to be as insufferable as possible for his captors, this was information he honestly couldn’t provide. Trade routes and their intricacies were far below what Vader deemed pertinent knowledge.
“Are you sure” the guard said, there was no inflection in his voice.
“Yes I am su-“ Vader broke off with a grunt as the blade broke through his armor and reached flesh.
The guard nodded and twisted the blade, digging it into the Sith’s side.
Hardly biting down his yell of pain Vader bucked, weakly trying to dislodge the knife. With a flick the knife ignited in an electrical current, burning along flesh and metal alike.
Biting down on his lip to contain himself Vader quickly drew blood, before the roaring pain knocked down his resolve and he screamed.
Keeping the current live for a moment longer, the guard revealed in the Sith’s response. Watched with interest as sparks and bolts of electricity jumped over Vader’s frame. When Vader looked as if he were about to loose consciousness again, he reluctantly flicked off the current and pushed himself to his feet.
Following the unspoken command, the other guards stood and exited the cell.
The last guard grabbed a handful of Vader’s cape, smearing the blood-coated blade against it. Once he deemed it satisfactorily clean he too walked towards the door.
The guard paused, silhouetted by the light filtering through from the hallway, and glanced over his shoulder at Vader’s form.
Vader had managed to push himself over onto his side, malfunctioning arm held tightly against his side.
“Perhaps your companion will be more cooperative” the guard stated calmly.
In a violent motion Vader shoved himself to his knees “No!” he yelled, “the boy doesn’t know anything!”
The cell door slid closed even as Vader reached out desperately, silencing his animalistic roar.

Chapter Text

Luke tapped his fingers against the edge of his bunk.
A tray of food, mainly some kind of hard bread and fruit sat untouched next to him. Resting closer to his hand was a half finished glass of water.
Idly, Luke picked up the glass and took a sip. Swishing the liquid around his mouth before swallowing. Like everything in this base, it tasted a bit stale. When Luke had regained his senses, on the floor, with Risa’s cool hands on his forehead, he had assumed that Hi’an had betrayed him. A shooting seemed most likely, but besides his earlier injuries, he hadn’t felt any gapping wounds.
Stunned, Luke had let Risa help him to lie back down on the bench before she had gathered up the spilt food from the tray she had been holding and ran back out of the room.
It had been that point, when Luke was lying in the quiet of his room, that Vader had brushed his mind. Quickly, Luke had deduced that it was Vader’s pain that he had felt and not his own. Which was alarming, but his Father seemed fine at the moment.
Their force presences had mingled and intertwined and Luke had felt calm and at peace. Vader’s presence was a conundrum; it had the tightly coiled threat of power, but when it washed over Luke he could have sworn it took on more characteristics that he remembered from Ben. Still in the warm glow of the force, Luke had hardly noticed when Risa had come back into his room.
She placed a new tray of food next to him, and had coaxed Luke into taking some medication. The lingering pain in his mind had disappeared and Luke had been left to drift on the ebb of the force.
Some time ago, Vader had locked down their connection. So now Luke was bored.
For the hundredth time since he found himself in this room, Luke pushed himself off of the bench and walked its perimeter. There was nothing, besides his bench, in the room. No control panel within the room to open the door internally, no window and nothing on the walls. If he were able to, Luke would have asked to be let out hours ago. But since Risa had dropped off his food, no one had come to see him.
While Hi’an had said that they were part of the rebellion, and Luke hadn’t been treated unfairly, this continued isolation was causing him to grow more and more nervous. Luke doubted that he would be harmed, but he knew that Hi’an and his people would have no such reservations when it came to Vader. His father was, after all, the Emperors fist and the face of the Empires brutal force.
Finishing his lap of the room, Luke approached the closed door. Running his fingers along the seam that connected it to the wall, he searched for a hatch, or covering that might help him get out of the room.
A small, almost imperceptible bump met his fingers in the bottom right hand corner of the doorframe. A smile growing across his face, Luke tried to pry open what looked to be a service hatch. It wouldn’t budge.
Leaning back, Luke considered his options. He didn’t have tools; he certainly didn’t have his light saber. Which he had stupidly left at the rebel base, when he had left for what was meant to be a routine flight.
Casting his gaze around his barren room, he spotted the tray of food. An idea springing to mind, Luke rushed to grab the tray, brushing its contents onto the bench. He bent the tray in his hands, feeling its slight give.
Placing it on the edge of the bench, with part of it hanging off, he raised his foot and brought it down sharply. The tray snapped neatly in half.
Taking one of the halves back to the door, Luke used the gagged edge to pull open the hatch. Once removed from the wall, it was only a matter of finding the right wire.
A twinge in the force made Luke pause. His brow pinched as he searched the force, but as always he couldn’t sense anything but Vader’s presence. Following the bond that connected him to his father, he brushed Vader’s consciousness. Luke could sense a very vague, and very faint feeling of pain, before Vader shut down his shields so abruptly it left Luke reeling. Now concerned as well as confused, Luke probed the shields, but they held fast. Luke rolled his eyes; if his father wanted some privacy then he would give him some privacy.
Turning his attention back to the wire, he pondered his options. Just before he could pick which wire to cut, the door slid open. Luke froze, and looked up at Risa.
She raised an eyebrow and glanced pointedly at Luke’s handy work.
“Sorry?” Luke said.
“I am guessing that you are tired of your room?” Risa said, moving past Luke to go and pick up half of the shattered tray.
Luke shrugged, “I appreciate your hospitality and everything, but when can I leave? I need to contact my friends and tell them I’m alright”
Risa ran her finger along the jagged edge of the tray, then put it down and perched on the bench.
“We are sorry that you have been confined here Luke” she said, “security protocols prevent us from letting you wonder freely through the base. I’m sure you understand”
Nodding, Luke pushed himself off the floor and brushed the dirt off his pants, “Can I still contact my friends?”
Risa smiled warmly, “Of course”
Luke relaxed. He knew that Leia and Han would be worried about him, by his guess he must have been missing for at least a couple of days. Though that left him was a major problem; what to do about Vader.
Stories said that the Sith Lord was ruthless and merciless, beyond feeling or compassion. But when he was in his father’s company, and all the time that they had been communicating through the force, Luke was certain that there had to be some good in him. Which left the difficult task of convincing Vader to come with him to the rebel base.
Luke was certain that if he left with out Vader, his father would follow; but he refused to leave his father stranded on this plant. He just needed to contact Leia, so that someone could come and pick them up.
Risa cleared her throat politely, drawing Luke out of his own mind, “Could I ask you a question Luke?”
Surprised Luke smiled at her, “Of course”.
Returning the smile, Risa continued, “Do you know anything, anything at all really, about Empire trade routes?”
Luke felt the smile slip off his face, “Ah no. Not really, I’m with the rebellion, we don’t really know anything about that”
Risa hummed to herself, “Yes, yes, how silly of me”.
She sat for a moment, considering Luke, before reaching into her tunic and pulling out a silver, cylindrical device. With a start, Luke recognized it as Vader’s light saber.
“We recovered this device from Lord Vader” Risa said, “Do you know what it is?”
Luke opened his mouth but before he could respond, blind terror gripped his mind. Grunting, Luke gripped his head. Vader’s force presence had returned and it was latching onto Luke’s mind with blinding intensity. Stumbling, Luke tried to sort through Vader’s fear to see what was wrong. His father felt like sun collapsing, twisting in on it self before exploding outwards. The tendrils of force energy that had surrounded Luke like a dormant shield were writhing and cracking around him instinctively. Just as likely to harm Luke, as they were to harm any attackers.
They couldn’t communicate words to each other, but Luke suddenly felt the urge to run . He needed to leave, he needed to get to Vader and leave right now.
Surging towards the door, Luke found it once again shut. Trying to push down Vader’s presence so it was less suffocating, he turned back to wards Risa.
“I need to leave…I- I need to get to my father” Luke stuttered, eyes blurring as he struggled to gain control of his own mind again. His father was relentlessly wrapping his force presence around Luke, it felt like Vader was trying to desperately drag himself to Luke, or pull Luke to him.
Risa tilted her head, “You are force sensitive?” she inquired.
Luke shook his head to clear it, “What? Yes? Look I need to go”
“That is good” Risa stated.
Rubbing his forehead, Luke heard the buzzing hiss of a light saber igniting. In shock, Luke stared with a gaping mouth at Risa, who was waving the weapon experimentally in front of her. The red light emanating from it making her green skin appear an ashen grey.
“Give that to me” Luke said, “You don’t know what you’re doing, you’ll hurt yourself”
Risa advanced towards him slowly.
Luke felt his own rising fear mingle with his father’s; extrapolating till the force was screaming and writhing around him. He backed up till the cold, solid door prevented him from moving any further.
“Do not worry Luke”, she said, red glinting off her black eyes, “I think it is relatively straight forward”
With a deft flick of her wrist, Risa severed Luke’s arm.

Chapter Text

“LUKE!”
“See” Hi’an chuckled, “I knew he was important to you”
Vader was shaking with rage, his overwhelming anger the only thing starving off the suffocating waves of hopelessness. Luke’s presence was scorching in his mind, flaring with fear and pain. Limited as Vader was, he couldn’t do anything to relieve his son’s agony or even ascertain what happened. Forced to endure Luke’s anguish as a constant presence in his mind, all of Vader’s own injuries became insignificant in comparison.
The entire universe had compressed into two known variables; Luke and his captor. Nothing else mattered but the murder of one and salvation of the other.
Hi’an, crouching in front of Vader, hardly flinched as the Sith violently surged towards him. Only to be pulled roughly back by the two guards on either side of Vader.
Unable to stand, Vader thrashed and shoved against the guards. Using his size and weight to try and dislodge them, very nearly yelling in frustration when they stood firm.
Fingers laced in front of his face, Hi’an leant forward conspiratorially. Glancing behind at the cell door, before looking at Vader with the air of someone about to depart a magnificent secret, Hi’an murmured.
“I do not think Luke knows about the trade routes”
Vader growled, a deep rumbling sound that the vocorder only managed to convey as a static filled garble.
“Let the boy go Hi’an” Vader ordered, straining forward against his captors.
Hi’an stood up in a fluid motion, humming to himself.
“I am starting to think, that you do not know about the trade routes either” Hi’an said.
Before Vader could say anything Hi’an continued, “But surely you know something, so I will give you one last chance to provide us with this information”
“You fool I do not-“ Vader started, but froze as the cell door slid open.
An alien took one confident step into the cell.
She was unrecognizable to Vader. Having memorized the aliens who directly interacted with him in order to prolong their suffering upon his escape, the Sith was certain he had not come across this new comer. Though from the confident and self-sure way in which she held herself, Vader could deduce that she was of some importance. Like Hi’an and his guards, she wore a simple loose fitting tunic with a long black braid of hair lying over her shoulder.
With a start, Vader realized that is one hand she loosely held his light saber, while in the other…
Vader roared, throwing himself at Hi’an. Stumbling back from the Sith, shock but also satisfaction carved onto his face, Hi’an let out a bark of laughter. Oblivious to everything except what the new comer was holding, Vader heaved and fought against his guards with such force that one lost his grip. With the sudden freedom, Vader pushed himself down; pulling the remaining guard with him; and with a crack smashed his helmet against the alien’s head. His one remaining guard stumbled back towards Hi’an, suddenly wary of facing the Sith by himself. A small part of Vader’s mind acknowledged this with a kind of grim satisfaction.
Vader swung back up, before pushing himself to his feet. The hydraulics of his one working leg straining under the pressure, while its counterpart sparked and smoked.
“Where is my son ” Vader snarled, limping towards the alien with jerky movements. Dark intent rolling off of the Sith in waves.
If Hi’an was surprised about this new piece of information, he did not show it, and Vader found that he no longer cared either way. The time for secrets and lies were over, he wanted, no he needed Luke now . The female alien, who had made neither sound nor movement to exit the cell was grinning broadly, holding up a limp hand slick with blood in front of the Sith like some grotesque offering.
Lightning ripped across Vader’s body, searing fire along his flesh. Hi’an, with his hand on his glowing blue cuff watched with wide eyes as the Sith didn’t fall. Physical pain was something that Vader was intimately acquainted with but as no one but he knew better, it paled in comparison to the deep, gut wrenching burn of failing someone you cared about.
Somewhere in this base, Luke had been hurt. Mere electricity and pain could not stop Vader from getting to his son, to Padmé’s son.
“Risa” Hi’an warned, as Vader did not stop his approach.
Deftly flicking her wrist, Risa activated Vader’s light saber and swung it up in an arch. Stumbling back Vader felt the light saber cleave through the control panel on his chest and cut away part of his mask.
Hitting the wall, Vader was forced to slide to the floor as the mechanics of his suit short-circuited. By some small miracle his respirator was unharmed and continued to wheeze air into his lungs.
Squinting against the harsh light that suddenly flooded through the gash in his mask, Vader saw Risa toss Luke’s hand down in front of him.
“What do you know about the trade routes?” Hi’an said.
“Nothing” Vader replied, his vocorder warping before cutting out entirely.
“Are you sure?” Hi’an inquired
“Yes” Vader rasped, wincing as his own weaker voice rang out. Hi’an appeared delighted at the lack of rumbling baritone, trying to catch Vader’s eye, visible through the crack helmet. The Sith ignored him, staring numbly at the ashen hand in front of him.
Hi’an huffed in mock annoyance, “Well that is a shame, I did like Luke”
Vader’s attention rounded back onto Hi’an, biting out “Don’t touch him”
Shrugging Hi’an continued, “You do not know anything, neither does the boy. He is of no more use”
“No!” Vader shouted, struggling to grasp onto the force even as it filtered through his fingers like sand.
“What use is the runt of a Sith to me?” Hi’an questioned, already reaching into his tunic for a comm unit.
“Wait!” Vader yelled frantically, “the cargo ships used for trade are based on heavily modified Acclamator-Class assault ships from the Clone Wars. They have a Class 2 hyperdrive rating and can carry 502, 000 tonnes of cargo with upwards of 16,000 passengers. They-“
Hi’an waved absently, pressing on his comm unit with his free hand, “Yes, yes. We know what they look like. We need to know where they are”
“You can’t kill him!” Vader continued, “He’s an infamous member of the Rebel Alliance, he destroyed the Death Star. The Rebels will pay a hefty price for his return”
“I do not care” Hi’an stated, “He will die due to your incompetence and will be forgotten to history”
Vader wrapped his force presence around Luke, forgoing his own defenses to try and protect his son. He felt Luke weakly send a pulse of reassurance back along their bond.
Hi’an knelt down in front of Vader and tapped one thin finger on his helmet.
“This is surprising Lord Vader” Hi’an said gently, “I did not think Sith’s were capable of caring”
The force shivered along Vader’s senses, just out of reach. He tangled his very presence into Luke, unaffected by the blinding intensity of the light side of the force that permeated his son to his core.
Hi’an clicked on the comm unit, “Kill him”
Luke blinked out of existence.
There was no explosion of energy, no last throws of life. One instant the universe contained Luke, the next it was empty. Vader felt himself grasping at air within his own mind, struggling to catch the essence of his son but finding only a dark void, empty of light and life.
Luke was dead.
Anakin howled.
A deafening explosion rocked the base, but he didn’t notice the ground shaking, or dust falling from the ceiling. Hi’an and Risa’s hasty exchange and quick departure were silent and a world away from him. Even as canon fire and screaming sliced through the air, the smell of smoke soon following, Anakin continued to grieve oblivious to it all. Bowing his head, he rocked slightly in place; the chaos consuming the world around him was appropriate and understandable.
Luke was dead. The universe deserved to burn.
At some point, he succumbed to his failing body and crumpling mind; as he didn’t notice the door to his cell sliding back open either.

Chapter Text

“He will be fine though?”
“He just came out of the Bacta tank, give him a bit longer”
“Han, I don’t know…”
“Listen Princess, he’s not who we should be worrying about. Right now we got a colossal pain in my behind chained to a bed, making me all shades of uncomfortable. We need-“
“Can’t you let a guy get a moments rest over here?” Luke croaked, cracking an eye open.
“Luke!” Han and Leia yelped, jerking to Luke’s bedside.
Casting his eyes around the clinical, white room; Luke shifted under his equally white sheets. Mustering up a tired smile, Luke watched as his friends grappled to find their voice. They looked tired, almost as tired as he felt, worn out and anxious but relieved.
Leia gripped his forearm, and with the sudden swell of taking a breath, Luke felt the Force sing with her presence. Leia said something to him, but Luke only slumped back into the bed, as gentle tide of the Force lapped at his consciousness. Oh how he’d missed it, Luke thought, vowing to never take the Force’s constant presence for granted again.
“You good there kid?” Han questioned, also reaching over to lay a comforting hand on Luke’s shoulder.
Luke offered another lazy smile, “Now I am” he said.
Leia’s hold on his arm hadn’t lessened, but her expression had shifted to one of almost murderous fury.
“Don’t you ever disappear like that again” She ground out, even as the Force rang out her relief.
“I won’t” Luke replied truthfully, basking in their love and support.
Luke placed his hand over Leia’s, gripping her knuckles.
Then he looked down.
Both Han and Leia froze, watching Luke carefully.
“Oh” he muttered, as he lifted his hand; the sharp lighting in the med bay glinting off of the metal.
Han spared Leia a glance, then said softly, “R2 sent a distress signal from their base, we stormed it and found you in one of the cells with these blue cuffs on”, he faltered before continuing, “and without your, ah, hand”.
Luke looked up sharply at Han, incredulous hope plastered across his face, “R2? He survived!” he exclaimed
Han chuckled, “Yer kid, Chewie’s fixing him up right now”.
Somberly Leia added, “We wouldn’t have ever found you without him”
Smiling broadly, Luke flexed his new hand experimentally, resolving to see his droid as soon as possible.
“Luke” Leia said gently, squeezing his arm, “Did you find out why you were being held captive?”
Luke frowned, laying his new hand in his lap, he didn’t quite remember…Then with a searing flash he saw red.
“Father!” Luke yelled, shoving himself up in the bed, accidently nocking Leia back and causing Han to swear loudly.
Luke was oblivious to their shock as he struggled to push the sheets off himself. Managing to swing his legs over the edge of the bed, Luke was just about to heave himself up before Han placed heavy hands on his shoulders. Pushed back onto the bed with a huff, Luke met Han’s eyes, confused and bewildered at the obstruction.
How in the galaxy had he forgotten about his Father? He needed to get to Vader right now, see him with his own eyes and ensure that he’s safe. There had been such immense pain over their bond, for it was a bond that had formed Luke was certain, surely his Father needed help. Reaching with the Force, overwhelmed for a moment by the sudden clarity and amount of people around him, Luke searched for his Father’s presence. Shocked and anxious when he couldn’t feel anything, Luke’s mind dove to the worst conclusions.
Had they left Vader behind? Or worse, was he dead?
“Luke” Han said, bending to catch Luke’s eyes, “Luke tell us what’s wrong?”
Luke gulped in air, “My Father, I need…”, he wrenched in another breath, “Did you leave him behind? Is he-“
“Your Father?” Leia exclaimed, interrupting Luke and meeting Han’s eyes with evident shock.
“He’s dead Luke, remember?” Han said, softly and sadly, his thumbs rubbing small circles on Luke’s shoulders.
Luke pushed Han off him, and jerked to his feet. Stumbling for a moment, his prosthetic hand gripped the bed for support, twisting the sheets. He hunched his shoulders, not facing his friends but instead staring at the smooth floor.
If he told them, his friends, it could change how they looked at him forever. Son of a Sith, son of the monster who had killed millions, son of the man who had blown up Leia’s home planet! Luke shuddered; Vader’s crimes were uncountable. But when they had been captured, in all those quiet moments, Luke had grown to know his Father. Probably more intimately than if they had been in the same room. There had been rage and anger, dark and furious lingering across their bond. Ominous and deadly, but tempered and never directed at Luke. And underneath all of that, Luke had felt protectiveness and the slither of compassion. There was still good in his Father; of that Luke was certain.
He squeezed his eyes shut, counted his breathing, and then let a calm resolve drop over him like a veil. Turning back towards Han and Leia, Luke stood up straight, both hands now held limply at his side.
“Vader, Vader is my Father” Luke said evenly.
Silence permeated the room, Luke bore it like an accusation.
“Vader” Han repeated, “ Darth Vader?”
“Luke” Leia beseeched.
Raising his head Luke stated, “He’s my Father, he found the wreckage of my ship and saved me and then we were both captured”
Leia opened her mouth, but Luke interrupted.
“I know it Leia, I can feel it in the Force, I felt him in the Force” Luke’s voice took on a pleading edge, “I know what he’s done, but he tried to protect me and he won’t hurt me”
Han glanced at Leia then Luke, then back again.
Leia caught Luke’s eyes and bore into him, Luke was unsure what she was seeing but it seemed to convince her of Luke’s conviction.
“He’s alive” Leia conceded, though the suspicion hadn’t left her voice.
Luke slumped in relief, “I can’t sense him” he said softly, unsure and worried.
Frowning at Luke’s admission, Leia said “We found him in the base, we believe he was being…interrogated” pausing, she glanced down before continuing, “The information he knows is too valuable to go to waste, so the Rebellion has taken him hostage”
“He was wearing Force suppressors, the whole base was to some extent” Han added, watching for Luke’s reaction, “We kept them and the engineers managed to max them out, completely blocking his access”
Luke sat back down on the edge of the bed, feeling weak. Their captors must have known, Hi’an must have known that Vader wasn’t completely blocked from the Force.
“I was leverage” Luke murmured, “She cut off my hand because she knew Father could sense it”
“There was a uh…” Han coughed, “a hand in Vader’s cell with him”
Luke felt sick.
All the kindness that Risa and Hi’an had shown him was an act; an attempt to keep him docile so that Vader didn’t act out.
“I need to see him” Luke said
“I don’t think that’s a good idea” Leia warned.
Shaking his head Luke repeated, “I need to see him. He won’t know I’m alright”
“There was extensive damage Luke” Leia continued, “He had been electrocuted multiple times, his artificial limbs need to be almost completely replaced, there was a stab wound on his abdomen; not to mention that the entire suits life support has failed. We managed to stabilize his condition, but the Rebellion isn’t prepared to do any more.”
Luke shook his head again, overwhelmed. He had questioned the purpose of the imposing black armor, rationalizing that it was for protection and anonymity. To hear that it was life support… He simply couldn’t equate the indomitable, looming figure of his Father with what Leia was telling him.
These past days, Luke reflected absently, were forcing more questions onto Luke than answers.
But right now, he just needed to see his Father. Questions and hopefully their answers could come later.
When Luke moved to stand up yet again, Leia stepped forward and pulled one of his arms over her shoulder. They swayed for a moment, managing to stay upright precariously as Han crossed and uncrossed his arms in aggravation.
“Kid, even if he is your Father-“ Han said.
“He is” Luke interrupted, flicking his gaze to the older man for a moment.
Han rolled his eyes, but put his hands up in surrender, “Vader’s still dangerous Luke, he hasn’t caused any trouble yet but that doesn’t mean he won’t start”
For his part, Luke was undeterred, committed to shuffling forward towards the door with Leia helping to steady him. Han groaned in exasperation, before moving forward to grab Luke’s other arm. Together, the three friends wobbled their way to the door; and after a gentle nudge from Leia, started down the hallway.
The Force, pulsing and thriving around Luke, was slightly disconcerting. After so long with only his Father’s presence to latch onto, the almost stifling amount of people bustling around the Rebel base was giving Luke a headache. Possibly even more unsettling however, was Vader’s complete absence from the Force.
Though rationally Luke knew the reason for his Father’s silence, it was still aggravating to have the full power of the Force at his fingertips, but the inability to sense this one person. His Father, Luke thought with a shudder, must be feel completely isolated.
Han’s building unease, and Leia’s increasing durosteel resolve told Luke that they were nearly at his Father. And as the trio rounded the corner of the corridor, Luke very nearly laughed at the sheer outlandishly heavily armed guards standing outside a plain door. While there were only two Rebels framing the door, they each carried two blasters, a larger rifle and what looked like a number of grenades. That sight alone would shriek to any passer-bye’s that there was someone important in the room.
The guards snapped to attention at Leia’s appearance, and moved aside obediently as Luke moved towards the door.
Pushing gently away from Han and Leia, Luke took the final two steps to the door under his own power. Taking a breath, Luke prayed to the stars that he would find his Father behind this door, not the murderous Sith that the galaxy had come to know him as.
Luke’s metal hand tapped the control panel with a small click, and the door slid aside.

Chapter Text

Just as Luke’s room had been, Vader’s cell was clean and white. It gleamed in a way that should have been comforting but mainly unsettled Luke. He longed, for a harrowing moment, for the quiet darkness of his own cell. Where his life was teetering on the edge of danger but somehow so much simpler. For one thing, he hadn’t had to physically see his Father. Glancing now at the form in the center of the room, Luke was grateful for that separation.
While still covered in the menacing black armor, which stood out more than ever in the crisp white cell, Luke could see the damage his Father had endured. The tough leather that covered Vader’s limbs was torn and burnt, carving obvious crevices into the Sith’s form. Luke balked when he noticed it had been pealed back entirely from one of Vader’s arms, his stomach twisting involuntarily as the shiny silver of a prosthetic arm shone amongst the damaged armor. Even though Luke knew on an intellectual level that the armor wasn’t actually apart of his Father, it’s removal looked too similar to the intentional skinning of prey for him to comfortable with its loss. For a moment, Luke considered what his Father would actually look like under the black casing. Luke’s train of thought shuddered to a halt. What does his Father look like?
Luke suddenly realized that for the first time since his capture, he had the time to actually think about what comes next, instead of worrying about surviving in the moment. How much time had they lost? A couple of days? A week? Perhaps even a month?
When he was communicating through feelings and motives and picking apart the tendrils of the Force Luke felt as though entire years had passed them by, but that couldn’t be right. Could it?
It was so much simpler when Luke could just be in his Father’s presence, without worrying about the implications of finding he actually cared about what happened to Darth Vader. Let alone what would happen now that he knew he was related to him.
Luke took a step back. The room suddenly felt too small, and the hulking black mass in the center too unfamiliar. He was Darth Vader’s son. Did that mean he was still Anakin Skywalker’s son? Was Ben’s tales of his Father’s heroics ever true, or a bedtime story to appease a young boy desperately wanting to have something he never knew.
Would he be allowed to stay with the rebellion, now that his heritage had been revealed?
Would they execute his Father?
“It’s creepy isn’t it?” Han said softly
Luke jerked, completely forgetting that he wasn’t alone.
“That’s what people would always say when they talked about him” Han continued, oblivious or ignoring Luke’s inner turmoil, “The creepiest thing about the Sith is the breathing”
Next to him, Leia shifted as if to reach out to Luke before deciding against it. As soon as Han mentioned it, Luke noticed the ever present sound of his Father’s ventilator. Loud as ever, but irregular and strained. Strangely, he didn’t find it creepy. Instead Luke felt the sound drape across his shoulder’s like a cape, heavy and consistent, proof that his Father wasn’t dead even if the Force said otherwise.
Embolden, Luke moved closer to his Father’s form. Apart from the tares in the leather, Luke saw the bubbled warping of the heavy armor across Vader’s shoulders, spread like lightning. The control box on Vader’s chest was similarly damaged, but to Luke’s relief not unsalvageable. That caused another pause, he had deduced that the armor served another purpose besides just protection, but the ventilations suggested life support. He was almost hesitant to find out what kind of damage Vader sustained which would demand he wear life support all the time.
Glancing up at his Father’s head, Luke blinked in surprise as he caught the glimpse of skin. A ragged cut had been carved out of Vader’s helmet, burnt at the edges to suggest a light saber, and Luke could just make out pale skin and a closed eye.
“Is he okay?” Luke questioned, all but leaning over his Father but still hesitant to touch.
Leia stepped closer, stopping just behind Luke’s shoulder.
“There was extensive electrical damage to his prosthetics, stab wounds in the abdomen and a blaster shot through his shoulder. As well as numerous injuries which have affected the working of his life support” Leia said carefully, the only compassion in her words directed at Luke, “We did some rudimentary repairs on the prosthetics, but they are hardly in working order”
Luke nodded slowly, “Why can’t I feel him in the Force?” he questioned.
With a gesture, Leia indicated a blue cuff surrounding Vader’s undamaged arm, “The technology that was being used by your captures allowed them to hide themselves in the Force, and dampen your use of it. We acquired some of the cuffs and managed to reverse engineer it to completely stop the use of the Force in the wearer”
Eyeing the blue cuff, Luke shuddered. To be completely cut off from the Force, he couldn’t imagine a worse fate.
“Why isn’t he awake?” Luke questioned, keeping his gaze down as he slowly rested the tips of his fingers of his Father’s arm, just above the cuff.
Out of the corner of his eye, Luke could see Leia turn to glance at Han, indecision warring on her features. Luke frowned and looked over his shoulder at the princess.
“Leia” Luke said a touch louder, “Why won’t he wake up?”
Leia opened her mouth but Han surged forward and said quickly, “He’s a Sith kid, we couldn’t just repair him good as new. It’d be a waste of resources when the Rebellion hasn’t even decided what to do with him yet”
“Repair him?!” Luke exclaimed, “He’s not a kriffing droid! You’re just letting him stay injured so that you can save some credits?”
Luke’s gentle touch on his Father turned possessive as he wrapped his hand around his Father’s arm, squeezing the immovable durasteel. Swinging to face his friends, Luke placed himself between them and his Father, maintaining his hold.
To Leia’s credit, there was a small hint of remorse on her quickly hardening expression. Han just looked worried glancing between Luke, Leia and Luke’s hand securely on Vader’s arm.
It was like a dam breaking inside Luke, all of his frustration and anger at his capture was flowing through him, manifesting in a righteous indignation that his Father should be treated unfairly. He knew that Vader had done terrible things, for Sith’s sake he had even blown up Leia’s home planet. But overshadowing all of that was the gentle admiration and fierce protectiveness that Luke had felt over their bond, comforting in its companionship. The whole time they were imprisoned, his Father had tried to protect Luke from their captors and even from his own pain. It was only fitting that Luke return the favor.
“Luke you know it’s not like that” Leia implored. Luke could feel her compassion for him through the Force, but her hatred for Vader lay coiled under every word.
Letting his protectiveness swirl in the Force, Luke subconsciously emulated the tendril grip that Vader had constantly maintained while they were separated. Pulling himself to a higher height, Luke tried to project as much Jedi power as he could before calmly stating, “You can go now”.
That underlying hate reared up and Leia started forward, the beginnings of what promised to be an impactful rant painted across her face. Jumping forward as well, Han grasped her arm.
Spinning back at Han, Leia spat “What do you think-“
But Han gently interrupted her, “Not now Leia” and cast a cautious look back at Luke.
Leia glared at Han and Luke in turn before storming out of the cell, leaving Han to hurry after in her wake.
Sadness replaced anger, and Luke deflated. He slumped inelegantly against the bench that Vader had been placed on, his free hand brushing against what remained of his Father’s cape. He was going to regret that, Luke thought morosely. From Han’s glance alone he was certain that his friends must think that he is somehow enthralled by Vader. That suspicion would most certainly garner some deal of repercussion, probably limited access to his Father. It was a harrowing prospect, and Luke allowed himself to ponder his options, his Father’s breathing a calming presence.
Just as Luke’s head began to dip towards his chest, the fatigue finally catching up to him, he felt the bench shift underneath him. Jumping up, and wide awake again all at once, Luke stared at his Father’s form.
It lay still.
Luke cursed his own addled mind under his breath and made to lean back against the bench when his Father moved. Stunned, Luke saw his Father’s fingers begin to twitch, then his arms; then with a heave that upset the ventilator Vader’s torso bucked up off the bench.
“Father!” Luke nearly yelled, a grin breaking his face as he was Vader’s one visible eye fly open. A startling blue against the black of the mask.
Vader let out a groan, which his voice modulator warped and gurgled before cutting out entirely. Luke fell silent for a moment as he let his Father catch his bearings. Vader appeared to struggle with conforming to the ventilators unsteady pace, as one large hand blindly reached up the pat along his own chest. Luke flinched at Vader accidently hit his own shoulder and hissed in pain.
Opening his mouth to speak, Luke started to move into Vader’s eye line but was interrupted as the Sith, to Luke’s horror, started to try and push himself off of the bench. It was a testament to how weakened Vader was that Luke was able to push him back, carefully avoiding his shoulder.
“No, Father just relax, you’re injured” Luke warned, helping Vader to lie back down, uselessly trying to check how bad the damage was to his shoulder.
Distracted, Luke didn’t notice his Father’s anguished and confused gaze.
“Luke?” Vader asked, painful incomprehension coloring his voice.
The joy at finally hearing his Father’s true voice briefly lit up Luke’s face, till he met Vader’s eyes. Luke’s brow pinched, unsure as to why his Father looked like someone had just given him back his sight.
A creak of metal broke the silence as Vader lifted up his exposed arm, the skeletal fingers stopping just short of touching Luke’s face.
“It’s me, Father” Luke said, pushed off balance by his Father’s reaction.
Vader dropped his arm, letting it hit against his stomach and Luke almost reached out to catch it, worried about the stab wound.
“You’re dead” Vader said, his voice devoid of any pain.
Luke paused, understanding dawning, “No! No, I didn’t die. I’m fine Father”, he quickly implored. He longed to reach out a touch Vader, to physically assure him that he was fine but this was a part of their relationship they hadn’t yet explored. Luke was unsure as to how the Sith would react to any physical contact.
Vader grunted in the weakest approximation of a laugh Luke had ever heard, “Oh the Force is cruel, young one, to taunt me with another ghost of what I failed to protect”.
Too stunned to respond, Luke stood frozen, with his hands outstretched. Luke was wholly unprepared to deal with this grief, unsure of what he could do to halt it.
“I should have died on Mustafar” Vader intoned.
Still secured on his Father’s arm, the blue cuff flickered at Luke.
With a jerk, Luke shoved out his hand and channeled a surge of Force energy at the cuff. He had no idea how to utilize the Force, but it seemed that instinct ruled him, and Luke gasped in relief as the cuff shattered.
Vader’s Force signature exploded back into existence, causing Luke to stagger for a second as he adjusted to the sudden nebula absorbing his senses. With the skills that captivity had taught him, Luke pushed his Force signature onto Vader. On the bench, Vader bucked as he registered Luke’s blinding light. Shoving himself up, the power of the Force joyfully returned to his fingertips, Vader swung his legs to the side of the bench and reached out to grasp ahold of Luke. His eyes, woefully inept at providing Vader with the proof he needed, were dismissed in favor of pouring energy back into their bond, solidifying it.
Anakin gave all his energy to assuring himself that it was in fact Luke standing in front of him, not enough ghost from his past. In pieces, Anakin poured over Luke through the Force, re-acquainting himself with that blinding light and carefully inspecting. Luke’s presence smoothed over him like a balm; taming the dark writhing mess at his core. With each careful nudge over their bond, Anakin allowed himself to weave their essences closer. For the Jedi such an attachment had been forbidden due to its deep roots in emotion; while the Sith scoffed at such a weak display of dependency. Anakin simply followed his instincts, mindless of what either faction would think of him. He was with Luke, and Luke was alive and he had been given a second chance.
Overwhelmed with joy, Anakin numbly registered Luke speaking to him in calm tones, barely registering over the hum of the Force.
“It’s okay Father. I’m fine. It’s okay.”
Returning to himself, Anakin let his hands loosen their crushing grip on Luke to gently pat along his son’s side. His exposed prosthetic gently grasping Luke’s chin to twist his head from side to side, checking for injury.
After a time, Anakin let himself calm.
Luke grinned at him sheepishly, amused tolerance coloring his Force signature as he let his Father reverently inspect him for injury. What could have been seen as possessive instead felt akin to worship. How could Luke deign his Father when the Force sang with contentment around them?
Once Luke’s blinding signature had returned to its normal glow, Anakin allowed himself to pull back slightly, restraint tightening his form as his injuries rushed back into awareness.
“You’re alive” Anakin breathed, more fact than question.
“Yes” Luke said, keeping his Father’s gaze.
“You’re unharmed?”
“Yes” Luke said after a quick pause, the matter of his hand could be brought up later.
Anakin nodded to himself, sparing a glance around the room, “Where are we?” he questioned.
Luke huffed a laugh, “We’re-“
An explosion rocked the room, the shockwave blowing Luke off his feet. Smoke poured in, coating every white surface and polluting his lungs. Luke lay frozen on the ground, his senses spinning.
His hands brushed across the ground, chucks of wall and warped steel meeting his fingertips, still hot enough to singe. Over the ringing of his ears, Luke could hear blaster fire and yelling, the Force roaring along with the noise.
Blinking open his eyes, Luke saw the charred hole were the door used to be and boots thundering into the room. A body smacked down in front of his face, causing Luke to buck backwards hitting the wall. Blank eyes stared at him from a neck twisted at an unnatural angle. Horror tried to grasp ahold of Luke, but pure shock kept it at bay.
The blaster fire stopped for a moment, and Luke tried to push his arms under him. But before he could rise from where he landed, blackness swooped in and grasped ahold of him, taking him up and away in a blur of movement.

Chapter Text

Ears still ringing, Luke twisted in shock as he was roughly shaken. He tried to swipe his hand at the person rudely waking him but he found that he could barely tell which way was up. Confused, Luke opened his eyes and was met with utter darkness. He blinked in shock and the blackness consuming Luke’s vision solidified into the form of his father. One bright blue eye was locked onto his face, fear and anger waring.
“Are you unharmed?” Anakin questioned urgently, leaning back slightly to take in Luke’s form while maintaining a vice like grip on his upper arms.
Luke blinked rapidly, trying to reestablish his balance, “What?”.
Anakin shook Luke slightly tightening his grip, “Are you unharmed?”, he repeated no less urgently.
“Yes” Luke said, “Yes, I’m fine. It’s alright”
Luke platitudes did nothing to dissuade Anakin’s fear and growing paranoia. Tugging Luke to him, he tucked his sons smaller frame against his side, shrouding him in what remained of his cape. He visually swept the room, squinting while his exposed eye tried to adjust to the unfiltered light. The room was filled with smoke but empty. The three assailants who had been first to barge through the door were reduced to dark shadows across the floor. It was much too quick an end for Anakin’s liking, but protecting Luke had come first, it will always come first. In a quick heave Anakin pulled Luke up to his feet, stubbornly ignoring his respirators increased rattling in response.
While unharmed, Luke was hardly coherent and nearly dragged the both of them back down to the floor. Anakin looked from his sons slowly blinking eyes to the door and back again. The force gnawed at his spine, he needed to move, he needed to get out from which ever new hell Hi’an had taken them too. Using the force to bolster him, Anakin surged towards the door, all but dragging Luke with him.
In the three strides it took him to reach the exit a figure stepped into view. Anakin only just registered the man widen his eyes behind his raised blaster before Anakin threw him back against the corridors wall. The man crumpled to the floor and Anakin swept past him without bothering to check if he was alive or not.
A siren was wailing, echoing off the walls and piecing Anakin’s head. It leaked through the crack in his helmet and almost overwhelmed him, so unused was he to unfiltered stimuli. But it didn’t matter. Nothing mattered besides escaping. He needed to go. He needed to keep moving.
Luke was pushing at his arm now, saying something frantically and trying to dig his feet into the ground. Anakin powered forward regardless, not for one second faltering. Once he was safe, once he could stop that kriffing siren raging in his head and he could hear properly he would listen to Luke.
A head emerged from behind a door ahead of them, but it took only one look at Anakin for them to jump back inside the room. A braver soul emerged with a rifle but with a sweep of his arm Anakin threw him back into the wall and they sank the to the floor unmoving.
Ahead Anakin could see flashing lights and… was that the wing of a shuttle?
‘Father!’ Luke shouted, ‘Stop please! You need to stop!’
The corridor finally ended and they emerged into a hanger. There was a shuttle ahead, illuminated by a shaft of sunlight. Actual sunlight! Anakin realized, they’d left the blast doors wide open. It was almost too perfect and it was only after Anakin had continued forward another couple of frantic paces that he saw the girl.
She was young, dressed in white and surrounded by at least thirty soldiers, all armed to the teeth. It was the blasters that had Anakin stumbling to a halt, suddenly and painfully aware that he didn’t have his saber. Shoving Luke behind him he tried to brace himself, but he could feel his suit loosing function. The wheeze of his breath sounded obnoxiously loud in the otherwise silent hanger and he could feel his right hand twitching from short circuiting wires. Anakin fixed his gaze on the girl and tried to hide how much he was swaying, how close the mechanics in his leg were to snapping. He was so beyond the point of pain that his wounds were going numb, and yet he couldn’t find it in himself to care.
‘Stand down’ she said, and Anakin wanted to crumple.
‘No’ he answered, as loud as he raw throat would allow.
‘Ready to fire on my command’ she said, not blinking and not backing down and she reminded Anakin of someone so suddenly and deeply that he almost gasped.
The whine of charging weapons briefly drowned out his respirator and Anakin could only think; I tried, Padme, please I tried.
He pushed all his energy into wrapping the force around Luke, prayed that his bulk would shield him and desperately tried to keep from falling too soon.
‘WAIT!’ Luke yelled, finally managing to yank himself out of Anakin’s weakened grip and shoving himself in front of his Father.
‘Wait!’ Luke repeated, one hand raised palm up to Leia and his other gripping onto the charred remains of Anakin’s armor.
‘Leia please wait’ Luke said, locking eyes with the Princess but not letting go of his Father.
Leia shifted her weight, her eyes wide as they flicked between the scrawny boy from Tatooine and the hulking mass of the Empires greatest weapon, ‘Luke you need to step aside’ she said.
Luke shook his head, ‘No please Leia, he’s just confused. Someone attacked us, he doesn’t know where we are’
The guards were looking increasingly uneasy, Leia’s brows furrowed ‘He’s attacked our men Luke, I said that he was dangerous and you didn’t believe me! Now look at what’s happened!’ she snapped.
Through his hand Luke could feel Anakin shuddering, but he couldn’t spare the attention to contact him through the force. He was all too aware of the damage that could be done in the next couple of moments. In his weakened state Anakin would fall eventually, but he’d take down as many people as possible in the process.
‘Leia he was just protecting me’ Luke tried to reason, ‘I can make him stop, just lower the weapons’
Leia looked again at Anakin and the former Sith was helpless but to stare back. Something of Anakin’s durasteel clad will must have shone through his injured figure because Leia nodded once before saying ‘Stay on guard but lower your weapons’
The rebels seemed to collectively twitch and glance to her, but Leia looked as solid as stone and after a tense moment the weapons were lowered.
In that moment Luke swung around to face Anakin, placing his other hand on his Father’s chest. The gleam of a new prosthetic shone against the battered black armor and Luke tried as hard as he could to ignore it. He couldn’t, in this moment, dwell on how he didn’t have a hand. On how the man he was trying to save had blown up his friends planet, had killed hundreds of people, had even killed Ben. On how Darth Vader was his Father and everything the rebellion was fighting against.
He needed to remember how Anakin had tried so hard to protect him despite all of that.
‘Father’ Luke said quietly, trying to draw Anakin’s gaze away from the threat Luke had turned his back on, ‘It’s alright’
Luke pushed slightly against his Father’s chest, hoping he could feel it, unsure what part of his Father was still organic.
‘We’re safe’ Luke continued, ‘We got out, we can rest now’
Still his Father didn’t meet his eyes, near feverishly looking for threats.
Luke tried to reach for him in the force but the pain and the fear covered his Father’s force signature as if it were not there at all.
‘Anakin’ Luke said, and finally that great helmet swung down to meet Luke’s eyes, ‘You did it, I’m safe. You can rest now’.
Anakin held Luke’s gaze for a second that felt like an eternity. Across their bond, Luke felt the barest touch before Anakin’s eyes slipped shut and he slammed down to his knees.
Luke scrambled to throw his arms across his Father’s shoulders and fell down to his knees with him, just managing to stop Anakin’s head from cracking across the ground. They were shaking, and it took too long for Luke to work out that it was because of him. Their time in captivity seemed to roll over him and exhaustion drowned him in the tide that followed. Luke gripped his Father as tightly as he could, focused on the weak but still present breaths and tried to breathe himself.
Voices gathered closer and hands followed to extract Anakin from Luke’s arms. He struggled briefly before Han’s voice rose above the rest, ‘It’s alright kid, we’ve got him. We’ll stabilize him’
Luke let go and watched as his Father was placed on a stretcher and taken further into the base. He looked down at his hands and noticed for the first time the blood on his shirt. Some, from his Father, and some from the edge of his new prosthetic tearing the fresh skin joined to it. Luke couldn’t yet feel the pain from this over his bone deep wariness, but he was sure it would come with time.
He felt rather than saw Leia settle on the floor next to him.
‘You were attacked-‘ she started, but Luke interrupted, ‘can you…just tell me later?’ he asked quietly.
Leia slumped a bit further next to him, then placed a delicate hand on his shoulder, ‘Of course Luke’ she said back, ‘whatever you need’.
They sat together for a while, and if anyone was about to comment on the oddity of seeing a blond, blood soaked kid sitting on the floor, the sure and silent form of the Princess sitting next to him stopped them from breathing a word. After all, soon the whole base would hear about how the two of them managed to defeat Darth Vader.