Here's a Star Wars fanfic, a massive deviation from my usual fandom. I found it sitting on my HD and thought I might post it! Like it, hate it, don't care either way? I can't remember for the life of me where I found the prompt, but it got my attention and here's the result! If anyone recognizes the prompt, please PM me? I think it was an archive, and I'd really like to post it there, too. Thanks for reading, and let me know if you want more! Yes, Boba Fett's a little OOC, but he's got a kid on his hands! And no, he's not completely heartless.
Legal Stuff: I do not, now or ever, own anything belonging to Lucas Film, George Lucas, and other unmentioned parties. I just play with the sand that fell out of Mr. Lucas's sandbox. I think Dram Hoska is about the only thing in this story that really belongs to me.
Here's the prompt, no idea where I found it: "What if Luke Skywalker somewhow ended up being found and adopted by Boba Fett at a very young age, and trained him to be a Bounty Hunter? The name "Luke Starkiller" comes to mind..."
It should have been simple. Get in, kill Dram Hoska, get out. Easy. But it wasn't that easy. Boba Fett had done his job and Dram Hoska was dead. As he left the small suite in the Red Lantern pleasure house, Boba Fett heard something. It was a quiet shuffle, and a muffled whimper. He whipped around, and looked around. Rats? No, rats didn't cry, not like…not like children. Gods of Sith! Did Hoska have a child-slave? The thought left a metallic taste in Fett's mouth and he pulled off his helmet, crouching beside the lounge-couch. He peered under and caught sight of the frightened five-year-old boy who huddled into the shadows, his eyes wide with naked terror. Boba looked to the window across the room, where Hosk's remains lay scattered. Gods, what had the boy seen? What had he been witness to? Any regret for killing the man while the boy watched was washed away as Boba saw the dark shadows of bruises on the boy's face and neck. Drama had abused the child, and now Drama was dead. He resettled himself, "Come out, little one. I'm not going to hurt you."
"Is…he dead?" the boy asked in a very small voice. Boba nodded, reaching out for him, "Yes. He's dead. Come, you're safe now, he'll never touch you again." Hesitantly, the boy crawled out of the shadows until Boba could touch him, but he let the boy come to him instead of forcing him out of hiding. After a while, small arms wound themselves around his neck and he smiled, pulling the boy closer as he eased back from the couch. Picking up his helmet, he left the suite. People got out of his way as he moved down the hallways, but he paid them no attention. Getting back to the Hound's Tooth II, he set Hoska's slave in one of the two cabins, "Stay here, we're leaving now."
"Can't I stay with you?" the child asked, clinging to him.
"You need to sleep, little one."
"Please, don't go away." There, that small, pitiful voice. Fett sighed, "Alright, come with me then and I'll show you the cockpit." Blue eyes sparkled and the boy trotted along in his wake, reminding him of himself at the same age. As soon as the boy had scrambled into the copilot's chair, he got underway. He made sure to explain everything he did to the attentive five-year-old, and saw a great potential in the boy. As they entered hyperspace, he looked at the lad, "What's your name, son?"
"Luke Skywalker."
"Skywalker?" Fett frowned, "You're…ah. I know you now." He shook his head. How had Anakin Skywalker's own son become a slave? Did the father even know? Unlikely, and there was probably a good reason for it. Luke looked at him, "You know me? I don't know you!"
"Your name. Your father was a great Jedi, but I never knew him. I knew of him. My name is Boba Fett."
"A Jedi? Really? Mom always told me he was a pilot!"
"He was that, too. Ask me again when you're older, Luke, and I'll tell you about Anakin Skywalker." He smiled, seeing much of the father in the son. Luke wrinkled his nose, "Why can't you tell me now?"
"Because now is not the time to tell you. Right now, it's time for you to rest."
"But I'm not tired!" Luke pouted, "I want to stay up here with you, Boba!"
"Why?"
"So Drama can't get me." Luke seemed to shrink into the chair and Fett understood something. He had told Luke that Dram Hoska was dead, but the boy still didn't understand that Dram Hoska would never be able to hurt him again. He sighed, "Luke, do you remember what you saw back in the pleasure house? By the window?"
"Yeah."
"Dram Hoska is dead, which means that he will no longer hurt you. He can't touch you now. I killed him."
"Oh." Luke grimaced. Fett shook his head, "You can stay up here if you want, at least until you fall asleep. You're safe with me, Luke. No one will hurt you."
"Really?"
"Really." He smiled and reached over, mussing Luke's unruly blonde hair with one gloved hand.
"Hey!" Luke squeaked, trying to smooth down his hair without success. Fett chuckled, "You'll do fine, Luke Skywalker." After a while, it was very quiet in the cockpit. Curious, Boba glanced at his five-year-old copilot and smiled. Sleep had finally pounced on Luke, who had dozed off quietly and was curled up in the chair. Setting the ship on autopilot, Boba scooped up his small charge and carried Luke back to the cabins. Tucking the boy into the bunk, he looked in the storage lockers for clothes. He had never bothered to throw out any of the things from his days flying with his father, and there were quite a few things he could pass on to Luke. Digging out a set of tunics, leggings, and child's boots, he folded them on the small table and left quietly, dimming the cabin lights. As he kept on course for Kamino, he wondered if he could teach Luke what he had learned, if he could turn Luke into a bounty hunter. Hmm. That was a concept. And if he was truly Anakin Skywalker's son, then that was probably the best way to keep him safe. Fett smiled. Yes, he would start grooming Luke to be a bounty hunter; and not just any bounty hunter, but the finest in the Empire.
And there it is! My first SW fic in ages! Again, if you liked it, hated it, or just didn't care either way, drop me a line. Gentle with the criticisms, I don't usually write Star Wars so I may not have it "just right". Otherwise, enjoy! If you want more, just let me know!