PART 1: THE INNOCENCE OF YOUTH

Summary: Luke is overhearing his relatived mentioning that his father is not only not dead but quite alive and has no idea he has a child. He decides to go search for him at the same time that a young Sith in training finds himself stranded on an unknown planet without a pilot.

Starkiller and Luke decide to work together, not knowing of the other's connection to the galaxy's most feared Dark Lord. The simple mission of reporting back to his Master and introducing himself to his Dad respectively turns into a wild chase as the two inexperienced boys try to make their own way through the galaxy.

First kill

9 BBY, Kaal

It was loud in the Fresh Meat, a diner located in Nefron, one of the major cities on the small planet Kaal. Most of its customers were locals but as Nefron had one of only three space ports of any relevance on the planet, one could see a number of other races as well. One of them stood out a bit more then the others, if only for the gray armor he wore. It was a Bothan and he got a lot of odd looks from the rest of the crowd. His appearance screamed scoundrel and nobody really wanted to have to do anything with him. Or with whatever made him so nervous as the Bothan frequently looked over his shoulder as if he expected someone to rush in and shoot him down.

The reason for this nervousness sat two tables further. An outsider wouldn't detect anything out of order about the human boy eating lunch in the diner together with his father. They looked quite ordinary altogether, faces that you would forget quickly. Maybe the father sat a bit rigidly and maybe it was odd how the twelve-year-old totally ignored the sweets the waitress droid had brought together with his tea but really nobody would guess at who these two really were.

The boy was not a boy but a trained killer, code name Starkiller. His father was not related to him at all, he was an assassin droid with a holounit pretending to be human.

The boy was just motioning for the waitress droid that they were ready to pay just as he had seen the other customers do. It was the first time he had ever eaten in a public diner. Even if he had known about the concept of tips, he would be determined not to leave any. Starkiller hated the food served here. Not because it tasted bad. In fact, it was the most delicious meal he had ever gotten. But that was the point, Starkiller was used to living off rations and nutrient powder like that provided for long-term stationed soldiers. Food like this – real eggs and bacon and bread – it made people weak. Delicious food was luxury and luxury was not for people like Starkiller. Not that there were any people like Starkiller except for Starkiller himself.

The waitress droid came to remove the plate on which half of the food still remained. To keep up appearances Starkiller had to eat at least some of it. He also had to eat some of his 'father's food before inconspicuously switching their plates so that made for a full meal. A meal that made him feel warm and full and slow and lazy. Starkiller had to close his eyes and recall all his frustration and anger in order to strengthen his connection to the dark side. It was coincidentally the same method he used in his interrogation training in order to shake off the effects of deteriorating drugs.

"The target is moving, Master", PROXY said. His face was blank but Starkiller recognized from his clipped voice that he was disappointed. On the plate that the waitress had taken away also laid a piece of egg that PROXY had poisoned. Starkiller had noticed this immediately as the Force had warned him with the fork halfway to his mouth so he had pretended to cough and drop it.

"Don't call me that", Starkiller hissed alarmed. He needn't have worried as the Bothan had already left the diner.

The two assassins followed him outside. Starkiller felt the Force flow around him, urging him to the right where he could just barely see the furry creature turn a corner.

"Over there", he pointed out and together they followed the Bothan at a respectful distance. They were leaving the more populated quarter of Nefron and Starkiller looked around nervously. Their disguise as father and son worked well in a crowd but out here they were more conspicuous.

"PROXY, return to the hangar and wait for me. I'm going to finish this alone."

"Master, this man is a bounty hunter. Not a very well-versed one but he is still more then a match for you. Are you sure you don't require assistance?"

"Why, PROXY, I didn't know you cared", Starkiller returned with a lopsided grin.

"Well, if you were to be killed then how am I to ever complete my primary programming?"

The boy scowled a bit. PROXY's frequent assassination attempts didn't bother him anymore. They were mostly harmless anyway, a little poison here, a hidden blade there. Of course PROXY always went all out on him when they sparred as well but then he was restrained by his training program. Starkiller knew that he had several modules installed that he was not ready for yet and every time his Master visited and removed some of his restrictions or added more modules, Starkiller had to fight for his life for a few weeks before he got used to them.

No, the attempts were just part of his training. It was moments like these when PROXY casually mentioned his one true goal that the boy felt how truly pathetic his social life was. His only friend was a training droid who wanted to kill him.

Starkiller pulled himself together. He didn't need any friends, they only made you weak anyway. He didn't need love or friendship. All he needed was the approval of his Master and to get that he had to fulfill his mission.

This was his first trial, his first true test. His enemy was stronger then him, bigger then him, more experienced and better armed. He would have to use his brain to get rid of him and that's exactly what he planned on doing.

"You know what to do", he told his droid.

Starkiller waited until PROXY was gone. Then he went into a side alley and nimbly climbed up the wall of the next building. Once he was on the roof he easily caught sight of his victim again.

Owing to his small form and the darkness that slowly settled over town, it was easy for Starkiller to blend into the shadows. He followed the bounty hunter, running across the roof and jumping to the next when it ended. The alleys in between weren't very wide and he could use the Force to further enhance his jumps. It got a little harder when it began to rain and the tiles became slippery but it was nothing compared to the course of catwalks and steel beams and flying TIE's, partially covered in motor oil that he had to go through on the Executor (secretly nicknamed the Ex).

The Bothan had stopped and Starkiller took a moment to wonder why, suspicious that it should be so easy. Then he recognized that he was seeking shelter from the rain under the small roof of a hover taxi station. While Starkiller knew objectively that one had to avoid cold weather in order to not get sick, he was quite sure that someone who traveled as much as the bounty hunter would've gotten the necessary medical vaccination to avoid such. It never crossed his mind that the Bothan might only stop because the rain was uncomfortable. Starkiller would never be bothered by it, unless he was undercover and had to pretend to. Especially not if he already suspected he was being followed, as this guy clearly did. PROXY had left a message in his ship, informing him of his upcoming death. Starkiller was still angry at him because of that. The droid really must be worried that he might die in the upcoming fight. At least when the bounty hunter was warned ahead of time his victory over Starkiller might be partly PROXY's as well so he wouldn't have completely failed at his programming.

Normally the droid wouldn't dare to sabotage Starkiller's missions. The boy had been in other systems before, playing courier for Lord Vader's spies or gathering information himself. But the hunter wasn't one of his Master's enemies. Starkiller was not to kill him because had done something wrong or was an enemy of the Empire. This was merely a test of Starkiller's abilities and thus PROXY felt entirely justified in making his job as difficult as possible.

Well, the Bothan obviously hadn't taken the threat seriously enough. After deciding that he would take the risk of it being a trap and not receiving a warning of the Force, Starkiller dropped down on the low roof. He had timed his landing perfectly with the growling thunder in the distance and thus the Bothan didn't notice him. Even if he did he wouldn't have had much time to react as Starkiller immediately grabbed the rim of the roof, swung himself downwards in an arc and buried his vibroblade deep in the Bothan's chest. He took a millisecond to check that yes, he had hit the heart before he ripped out the blade again and jumped several steps away. He crouched on the ground in the empty street, watching as the hunter's eyes widened in shock. He grasped his chest, looked at the blood on his hands in surprise – then slowly, he fell over, face first on the street.

Starkiller continued to watch him like a hawk for almost a full minute. He was waiting for the catch. There had been blood so clearly his armor had no hidden upgrades that averted the blade. The surprise had been real, he could feel it in the Force together with the pain. Maybe his target was waiting to stand up again, surviving because of a second implanted heart or a cybernetic one if Starkiller was just stupid enough to come within his range?

But nothing happened. Chances to be found with the corpse grew but Starkiller had to check if his victim was dead. He knew his Master wouldn't hesitate to punish him if he failed this simple mission.

Carefully Starkiller rounded the body, approached from the opposite side. He listened to the Force but it was silent. Not calm, the dark side was never calm, but it was momentarily content with the blood that had been shed.

The twelve-year-old quickly reached out to check the pulse, ready to pull back anytime if the Bothan came back to live just as the training units on the Ex did four of five times. But nothing happened.

"Well done, Master."

Starkiller whirled around. His vibroblade was caught by PROXY's raised hand though and for a moment true fear woke in him. He had been so focused on his victim he hadn't noticed his training partner approach. If PROXY had tried to kill him now, he would've most likely succeeded. But PROXY knew that the Force warned him if any true killing intent was directed at him. Occasionally it was fun for him to just scare his protégé a bit even if it did mean passing up a perfectly good opportunity to kill him.

"What are you doing here?", Starkiller asked as soon as he had his wits about him again. "I told you to go back to the hangar."

"I have orders from Lord Vader to monitor your progress on this mission, Master. I am happy to inform you that you passed the test expertly."

"Really?", the child asked with wide eyes. A big bubble of happiness and pride swelled in him. He had passed his Master's test without problems. Maybe... Maybe the next time he saw him, he would actually get a verbal praise? Normally all he could hope for if he did well was a nod or a long, contemplating stare followed by some rigorous training and new modules for PROXY. But just once, just one time Starkiller wished his Master would acknowledge his efforts with more then that. Not much more, just a simple 'well done'. He just... He just wished so much to know that his Master actually cared.

He knew he must. Lord Vader was the Number Two in the whole galactic Empire. He had thousands of duties that Starkiller didn't even know about and yet he still took the time to visit Starkiller and provide him with training devices and droids even though it could mean serious trouble if the Emperor ever found out. So naturally, Starkiller knew his Master cared. He just... he didn't know if his Master cared about him as a person or if he just saw him as a tool.

"He wasn't much of an enemy", Starkiller said even as he drew back, following PROXY into the labyrinth of alleys. They would head back on another way in order to shake off possible but unlikely pursuers.

"I mean sure his record was alright but he was average and clearly not used to being the prey."

"Oh this test was never about your fighting abilities", PROXY replied. "It was quite obvious that the preferred method of elimination in this case would be stealth and you are more then adequately trained in this area."

"But then why did my Master call it my first true test? It was easy!" Or it would've been if Starkiller hadn't expected something to go wrong at every turn and thus wasted time in being extra careful.

"Well, it was the first time you ever killed a sentient being, Master."

Starkiller scowled. "So?"

"Most beings, humans included, have natural reservations about harming, much less killing other people. Even if they are mentally prepared beforehand, most would still fail at the critical moment and find themselves unable to carry out the deed during to moral issues."

Starkiller stared at him honestly befuddled. That thought had indeed never crossed his mind. He had trained all his life to kill, had done so thousands of times in simulations. He had never considered that doing it in real life would be any different – and honestly, it wasn't.

"So that means... Master thought I might not be able to kill the Bothan because... Because what, I'd suddenly turn light or something?"

"As ridiculous as it sounds, it has been recorded to happen before."

That... kinda hurt. To think that his Master thought so lowly of him. Maybe he shouldn't have killed the Bothan with a quick blade in the heart. Maybe he should've drawn it out and tortured him a bit beforehand. But no, his Master wanted an assassin not a savage. His work was quick and efficient.

They had reached the hangar. The Rogue Shadow stood ready and their pilot in front of it with a cup of caf. He hadn't noticed them yet. Starkiller and PROXY were just entering the hangar when out of nowhere, the boy felt an almost painful sting in the back of his neck. He recognized the feeling as a warning from the Force and without thinking he threw himself behind a crate. Only half a second later the hangar was shaken by a fiery explosion. As soon as the initial flash from the fireball did no longer hinder his sight, Starkiller was on his feet. His first impulse was to look for PROXY. The droid looked a bit scorched but he seemed to be working fine as he was already chasing after the fleeing figure of what was most likely the attacker.

Starkiller wanted to go after them too but a nudge of the Force caused him to take one last look around first. It was then that he noticed the pilot - Corton he thought his name was - writhing on the ground in obvious agony. Ignoring the rest of the screams and the civilians running around, Starkiller headed for the man. He had no idea how to fly a ship, much less one as modified as the Rogue Shadow and he doubted PROXY did either. They needed Corton or they would be stranded on Kaal.

Unfortunately, Starkiller knew next to nothing about medicine either so he had no idea if the burns covering the Imperial were serious or not.

For a moment, he hesitated. But the mission went first. PROXY would get the assassin but he had to get Corton medical treatment.

That decision made, Starkiller searched for a medic. Everyone seemed to be busy as there were multiple civilian victims. Still he managed to get one to help him through the use of some subtle Force induced compulsion. He wasn't capable enough for a full mind trick yet but it wasn't particularly hard to make a person do something that he was going to do anyway.

Ten minutes later PROXY was back, cheerfully announcing the death of the attacker. Apparently the bounty hunter had called a friend when he had received the threat and the man had picked their ship out

as suspicious. Kaal was not often visited by outsiders and their ship had no cargo listed and was not a frequent visitor either. It was a relief to hear that their cover hadn't been blown but there was still a major problem in the form or Corton.

Starkiller stepped to the improvised stretcher provided for the wounded on which his pilot laid.

"Captain Corton?", he asked with pretended respect and worry. Corton thought he was the son of the head instructor in charge of the battle station in Scarl, that PROXY was a below average protocol droid and they were here to visit their aunt. It wasn't a very good story but then again, Starkiller's pilots were exclusively picked from the 501th, Lord Vader's personal legion. Those people learned very quickly not to ask questions. Also between accompanying Starkiller on his trips, which weren't all that much yet, the pilots were also sent on the most dangerous missions so if there was the slightest suspicion that there might be a leak, it would be easy to discretely 'loose' Corton.

"Captain, are you alright?"

Corton coughed and visibly flinched when he tried to sit up.

"It... It looks worse then it is", he said weakly.

"Will you be able to bring us home?"

A look of panic flashed over Corton's face. His orders were clear, get the boy to where he wanted to go, then take him back. No delays. He couldn't afford to spend days or even weeks in a hospital on Kaal. He was not stupid, he recognized that the missions he'd been on lately had a raised danger risk. He was already suspecting that he had messed something up and that maybe his superiors wanted to get rid of him. Such a mistake even if it wasn't his might be the perfect opportunity.

"I... I can't do any precise piloting", he said. "But we could enter the Rimma Trade Route with some help from the navi computers of the space port. From there, the autopilot can take us into hyperspace. We would have to stop at Yag'Dhul to switch onto the Corellian Trade Spine. That would cost us a few hours but by the time we reach the Tapani Sector I should be well enough to take us the rest of the way."

Starkiller thought it over. If Corton got worse on the way they'd be screwed. For security reasons he could not very well contact the Ex, even if there had been anyone to answer him. But there were a few bacta tanks on board the Super Star destroyer (mainly used on Starkiller on the rare occasions he got the honor to spar with Lord Vader) and those would be better in healing Corton then anything Kaal had to offer.

"Alright, PROXY help me to get him into the ship."

In a hangar full of civilians he couldn't reveal his Force abilities so he was stuck relying on PROXY to carry the injured captain onto the Rogue Shadow.

Starkiller helped Corton to sit up and the Captain managed to get the ship starting. He pre-programmed the autopilot before sinking back onto his stretcher. The computer took ages to analyze the coordinates for the hyper jump but finally the light of the stars faded into the distance.

Starkiller looked at the Captain with worry. The Force was prickling in his neck uncomfortably. He had a bad feeling about this.

XxX

AN: Here we go again, I hope you had a happy Christmas!

Good to see there are other fans of Starkiller around. The diffrence to Luke is so fun to write. Because there was a question: The genre for this fanfic is family/friendship and it's going to stay that way. If there comes a little romance in later chapters, it is only to see how the dynamics between the two boys might be disrupted once a girl if thrown in there. It could be fun to see the sparks flying but I don't know if Ill do that yet.

Still hype'd for Star Wars, still writing at ultra speeds. Let's see for long I can keep it up.