Disclaimer: I do not own Star Wars or any of its characters. But I do own a lot of Star Wars items...
A/N: This is my first Star Wars fanfic, and quite frankly I'm surprised. As much as I love Star Wars, I don't know why writing this hasn't crossed my mind before. But I'm blocked in my usual stories at the moment, considering it's almost three in the morning and I'm tired. This is just a short one-shot, just something to fulfill some writing needs for the night. It takes place between The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi, and I'm assuming if you're reading this that you've seen the Original Trilogy.
Enjoy.
I am your father.
The words echoed in his mind, and no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't forget them. Never in his life did he ever think that his father was still alive, as a Sith, his enemy. Had Ben lied to him? Well, he had never told him the truth, so there must have been a reason for it. But what was that reason? What was expected of him, to be hidden from the truth, to not know that that man was his own flesh and blood?
He had lost his arm, all in finding the truth, the actual fact that his father was still very much alive, although not as a man, but as a cyborg. If that was true, what else was being hidden from him? He'd been told his father was a Jedi. Was that true? Or was it some fabricated statement that was given to him, in hopes that he wouldn't ask questions or follow in his father's footsteps to become the next Sith Lord?
He sighed, frustrated with himself. Why couldn't he think straight after all that had happened between Darth Vader and himself? Weren't the Jedi supposed to be able to clear their mind easily and let go of anger and doubt? I suppose after finding out your father is evil, you forget how to be good, he thought, navigating the corridors of the Millennium Falcon.
Luke didn't know what to do. He didn't want Leia or Han, who was currently indisposed of, to know that he was the son of their enemy, the man who had stolen the princess and had blown her planet because she had purposely tried to deceive them by saying the plans were on Dantooine. He understood why she did what she did, especially when the plans were sent to Tatooine, which was unknown to her at that time. She hadn't known Ben was on his home planet, had she?
Unfortunately they had called her on her lie because Dantooine was too far out of the system that there was no way they would have been there. Maybe he isn't as easy to fool as any of us had thought.
Maybe not, but he's still your father. You're as smart as he is.
He had to clear his mind and think of something else. Right now they were in trouble; they needed Han, and Leia was clearly distraught over his absence. Luke knew that Jabba the Hutt was in possession of the frozen carbonite block that contained the smuggler's body, and he knew where they were, but it would take a well-formed plan to rescue him.
One that he couldn't afford to fail.
Leia wasn't going to like his plan, but it needed to be done. He needed the help of Lando Calrissian as well, even though he was angry that the man had betrayed them in the first place, putting them in this situation. He couldn't hold onto his anger for very long; it was against the Jedi code, and he would have been in danger of converting to the Dark Side of the Force if he had done so.
He needed his droids, but they were out of his reach, and R2D2 had his lightsaber. The beginning of the plan was taking place, he only needed time.
"Luke, there you are." He turned at the princess's voice and frowned. Why did she have to come to him now, when he couldn't speak to her? "Is everything alright? You've been acting strange since we left Bespin." If she only knew what was on his mind, the battle he seemed to be having with himself, she would understand what he was going through, finding out that the enemy was his father. He had to make this right.
"Everything's fine, Leia, I've just been thinking. We're going to have to save Han from Jabba's Palace; but you may be opposed to what I have in mind…"
She shook her head. "I'll do it, Luke. Just tell me what I have to do, and I'll do it. I don't like him being there anymore than you do." Of course she wouldn't. She had been gradually falling in love with the smuggler, and she had no idea what to do about it. He had heard her tell him she loved him before he had been frozen, and part of him had been reluctant about believing it. He knew it was none of his business; he cared about her, but she would never be his. There was something else that bonded them together, but he wasn't sure what. He would have to ask Yoda about it.
Luke explained the plan that had crossed his mind. Leia would have to disguise herself, and Lando as well, and Jabba would be none the wiser. The princess agreed and assured him she would relay the information to Lando.
The Jedi welcomed the peace in her absence, intent on sleeping. But he couldn't shut off his mind, forget about what Darth Vader had told him, or stop forming the plan in his head. Everything needed to work out for all of them. Once he temporarily resolved his inner turmoil, he fell asleep.