As he stared down at his weapon I saw it. I saw it, but I didn't believe it. He was hesitating.
"Luke?" I asked with barely subdued fear. He looked back up from his weapon to me, and I saw it in his eyes. He was conflicted. But, why? Darth Vader literally just tossed him his weapon! Told him to strike him down! But Vader said he knew he couldn't… But he could! He was Luke Skywalker! He destroyed the Deathstar, he was the Hero of the Alliance! He'd even fought Vader before; on Bespin. So what was different now? I knew he was changed after Bespin. Everyone had noticed. Rouge Squadron, High Command, Han, Chewie… Heck! Even Threepio had noticed! I knew Luke had somehow lost more than just his hand at Bespin, but no matter what, he would talk to anybody about it! Not even… not even me. I looked desperately in to his eyes where I noticed a myriad of emotions, not least of all shamefulness and self-loathing. But what had he to be ashamed of? What reason could he possibly have to hate himself for?
"Luke…?" I said again, tears worming their way into my voice. I couldn't cry though, not with a blaster to my head. Not with my dignity to protect. I was Leia Organa of Alderaan, Princess of the Alliance to restore the Republic. Luke looked back down to his weapon, then to Darth Vader. That… ugh! I can't even think of anything to call him that would be low enough! Whatever dark abyss that spawned him would be completely repulsed by the monster it created! Any similarities between him and humanity is accidental. The 'man' was only partially facing Luke, like he wasn't threatened in the least. What gall! I know Luke. He will strike down his father's murderer. But then, I looked in his eyes again, and he looked in mine. And I realized, I didn't know.
"Luke?" My voice was on the edge of hysteria now. I. Did. Not. Know. How could I not know? Luke… Luke was my best friend! He and Han! I'd known them both for almost four years. Han was always annoying, he always got on my nerves, even within the first five minutes of meeting him. Han was cocky, arrogant and proud. And I love him. Luke… I love him too, but in a… different way. I know I've kissed him… twice… but it's not the same as when I kiss Han. Luke is more like the brother I never had. There's always been some sort of intangible… connection between us. Something we both know, but have never learned. Something we both hear, but can never speak. Something we both feel, but have never touched. And indescribable bond that ties us together. But now, I wonder if I've just been imagining things. As Luke looks back away to that monster, I sneak a glance to Han and Wedge who are beside me with their own troopers holding guns at their heads. And I realize; They don't know either. I try, unsuccessfully, to swallow my fear at Luke's choice. He had to choose to attack Vader! This was his chance! They weren't going to kill us off if he did, we'd get out of this somehow! I look at the way he stares at the Dark Lord, passionately and with so much confliction. Then, somehow, I realize something.
Vader had asked him to join him.
B-but I know Luke! (Don't I?) He wouldn't even contemplate the idea of joining the Empire! (Right?) The Empire had destroyed everyone he held dear! His father, his Aunt and Uncle, Biggs, General Kenobi- everyone!(Am I sure?) So then, why did he look so conflicted? The way Darth Vader stood, cool, calm, collected; It set my hair on edge. Like he knew Luke was going to go with him. As if Luke would- …. He dropped his stance. One ready for anything, to one of… submission? What? NO! No, no, no, no, no, no, NO! He was Luke Skywalker! He couldn't just give up when he had a chance! The Dark Lord had clearly given him a chance, and he threw it away! Why? Why would he do this to us? What motive could possibly be behind this?
"Luke…" I whispered, anguish weighing heavy on my voice. He turned his face away- too ashamed to look at the eyes of the people he'd just… betrayed? No! Luke could never betray us, least of all to Darth Vader! This… this must be some sort of… trick… Luke must be trying to psych Vader out; Get him to lower his guard then make his move! I start to smile as my hope picks up- surely now he'll attack! But my face drops when I look at his, and see nothing. I sense nothing. Nothing but the raw sense, that this is for real.
"Take them to my ship." The deep, commanding baritone voice of Darth Vader says. The trooper behind me roughly pulls me up, and I numbly obey. It's as if I can't feel a thing, not pain, not anger, not sadness. Not even the sting of the shock that has me so dazedly whiplashed. As the troopers drag us father away I barely notice the enraged faces of Han and Wedge who are doing their best to struggle. I try to look back to where we were, where they are. Luke looks as numb as I feel, and Vader… Vader stands behind him, in an almost paternal way. He gently puts a hand on Luke's shoulder causing Luke to turn and look at him. There was no malice in his gaze towards his father's murderer. Just… confusion, wistfulness and the bare innocence of a child. I was roughly pulled back to reality when the troopers shoved the men and I into an elevator . The last thing I saw was Luke's bright blue eyes looking on at me with regret. Regret for what?
I didn't know.
A/N: Well, I hope you enjoyed my poor excuse for writing, but hey, I'm homeschooled! I really wrote this because didn't have anything else to do today; Karate was over early and I'm feeling burnt out on drawing ideas so being bored I decided to try oneshoting. I actually really enjoyed writing this little japor snippet (I have a million of them, so I might try some more not coresponding to this one) so if enough people motivate me I'll try writing this again from different POVs. (That's PointOfView for you newbies.) Well, I truley hope my writing isn't as lame as me, please review,
~ Fan-Tasticly-Lame