"Leia, its hopeless, let's just face it." Luke said quietly, his face a grimace of pain.

"We'll find a way, they don't have us in a tractor beam yet." The Princess replied, trying to sound optimistic. Then, they all felt the unmistakable lurch of their ship being pulled out of its course as the Falcon stopped dead in its tracks and began to move backwards, towards the hulking shape of the Executor in the distance. I've gotten out of some pretty bad situations in the past, thought Leia, but nothing as bad as this! Han's probably halfway across the galaxy by now, Chewie still looks like he wants to bite Lando's head off, Luke just lost a hand, and I… I can't be captured by Vader again….

"What're we going to do?" asked Lando Calrissian desperately, "If Vader catches us…"

"He won't," Leia replied, tight lipped, "He can't." All the while, Luke had been pacing around the cockpit, thinking. Vader's after me, why can't my friends get away? There just must be a way…

"Wait!" Luke said, seeing all eyes turn towards him, "I've got an idea."

"What is it?" Lando asked quickly –Luke could tell that he was very nervous. But who would blame him? It sounds like he just betrayed Vader –I wouldn't want to be in the same universe as Vader if I had just betrayed him –no one would.

"It'll take too long to explain, I just need comm. to the Executor." Luke replied, hoping that Leia wouldn't ask too many questions –she would never agree with this plan.

"Luke…" Leia began warningly

"Okay, I just hope you know what you're doing," Lando said, cutting off Leia's protests, "Here."

"Right." Luke said, his face turning pale.

"Er…Um… My Lord?" said Admiral Piett, tentatively.

"What is it Admiral?"

"Well…Umm…"

"What?" Vader shouted, impatient at the Admiral's stuttering.

"The Falcon has contacted us –the captain says he wishes to speak with you" Piett said, then noticing that Vader was about to protest added, "–and only you."

"Only me?" Vader repeated, his voice skeptical, "Now that is interesting…. Tell me Admiral, who is this person who demands to speak with me?"
"Well My Lord, his name is Calrissian." Piett replied, "He said that he had a most vital proposition for you."

"Interesting, but irrelevant, he can talk to me as much as he likes once the Falcon is onboard." Vader said, and then moved to leave.

"That's just it My Lord, he told me that if you said that, unfortunately he would have to dispatch a, umm, Luke Skywalker?" Piett said, knowing that if he neglected to mention this, Vader would be very angry indeed, as it was, the dark lord didn't appear too pleased. Vader paused, wondering what game Calrissian could possibly be playing. In all likelihood this gambit was simply a last ditch bluff, but still… it wouldn't do to see his son die. "Fine, halt the tractor beam, but keep a hold on the ship. Give me comm."

"Right away my Lord." Replied the Admiral, motioning for one of the communications officers.

"Calrissian. Is there no end to your treachery?" Vader inquired, sarcastically.

"I have an offer Lord Vader –"

"I have heard of this mysterious offer –however might I remind you that your ship is currently in my power?" Vader said, cutting Lando off, "What offer could you possibly provide?"
"Well, if we where so entirely in your power, you wouldn't have bothered to listen to me, right?" Returned Lando, "We both know that you want Skywalker."

"How do you know that I will not simply change my mind and kill all of you?" Asked Vader, trying to gauge how far Lando was willing to go.

"I personally doubt it: so here's my deal –you send one of your imperial goons over here to pick up Skywalker, and let the tractor beam go –then, once you have Skywalker, the rest of us will be allowed to enter hyperspace."

"You have no hyperspace capabilities." Vader pointed out.

"You don't know that –besides, if our hyperdrive doesn't work, you can just take us all prisoner anyways. That's the deal –take it or leave it."
"I assume that if I refuse your deal, you would dispatch Skywalker." Vader said in a monotone.

"Yes, that's about right." Lando replied, his voice not giving anything away. Vader closed his eyes for a moment –probing Calrissian's mind for any trace of his true intent. Unfortunately for Vader, all he could discern from Lando's mind was his terror, his remorse for his betrayal of Solo, and his single-minded determination towards escaping from this situation. All of these strong emotions made the rest of his thoughts difficult to read. Vader had to guess if Lando was the type who was willing to actually kill Luke, if Vader refused the deal. Although it was very unlikely that Lando would do the deed, there was still a small chance that he would kill Luke, simply to spite Vader.

"Very well, Calrissian," Vader said slowly, "You may expect one of my men in a few moments." After all, Luke was his primary objective. In the background, Vader could sense Piett's shock –after all Vader never negotiated, much less cut a deal with rebels.

"Admiral," Vader said, "I want you to go to the Falcon and return with Luke Skywalker."

"Me, my Lord?" Asked Piett.

"Yes," Replied Vader curtly, "Now go."