Short answer to a challenge from the Luke/Vader Yahoo group. (A passing knowledge of the game of sabacc might help)


I frowned as a junior officer approached my table with a wary expression before practically flinging a datapad at me and scurrying off like a rancor was on his tail.

I'm quite sure that the colour drained from my face as I read the notes on the pad which I had to study and then present to Lord Vader.

"I'll tell your wife you love her."

"Thanks." I replied flatly as I placed my sabacc cards on the table. "I'm all in." I pushed my pile of credits into the centre and flipped my cards over with a grim chuckle as I spread them out. "Idiots array."

I left my winning credits on the table with my fellow officers; I doubt I will need them soon, not after pulling the highest sabacc card from the deck three days ago to gain the latest strangulation duty.

I made it to Lord Vader's office without remembering what route I used, only that people seemed to move aside like I was contagious.

The door opened of its own accord, the mechanical voice beyond it offering an annoyed 'enter Colonel'.

"My Lord." I began as I stepped up to the desk, mentally preparing my explanation like I would approach a hand of sabaac.

"Intelligence operatives have uncovered the information you sought about the pilot who destroyed the Death Star."

"Indeed?" Lord Vader demanded.

"A young rebel named Luke Skywalker." I backed up an involuntary step as Lord Vader abruptly stood, towering over me.

"Skywalker? You are sure?" I gulped as the mechanical tones implied a long drawn out death should I be wrong.

"Yes Milord. Records suggest he is a moisture farmer from Tatooine Milord, his guardians, Owen and Beru Lars were reported dead some three days before the battle." Lord Vader's call as my mental sabacc hand was looking quite empty now as I had passed on all the information that intelligence had found, which was, admittedly not much.

"How dare he? How. Dare. He." I gulped at the menace present in Lord Vader's voice as he whirled away from his desk towards a viewport. I have a feeling that I have just dealt him a very unpleasant set of cards.

"My Lord?" I gingerly inserted as he snarled about somebody named Obi-wan paying for what he had done.

"He hid him from me." The outrage and amazement almost made me raise an eyebrow in question before I remembered who it was that I was currently counselling and that a more diplomatic answer would be necessary.

"Yes Milord."

"Why would he do that?"

"I'm not sure Milord."

"He had no right."

"No Milord."

"Oh get out." Vader growled through a buzz of static as he seemed to realise I wasn't actually answering his questions and most likely had no idea what he was ranting about. I scrambled out of the door as fast as was dignified.

Sabacc, a winning hand, I thought as the door slid shut behind me, followed by the dull thump and vibration of something heavy hitting a solid durusteel wall.

My mouth formed into a grin of its own accord as I thought of the credit chips that I could go collect from my fellow officers, and not one of them to be spent on medical care for a partially crushed throat.