The researchers were prepared to look at the DNA and assess the possibilities, though they wouldn't make any suggestions about treatment until they had studied it fully. Luke and Obi-Wan kicked their heels for several hours before the doctor returned with an unpromising expression. "I'm sorry" he told them almost at once. "The DNA has been badly corrupted. I assume the patient was exposed to radiation or toxins?" They nodded. "Unfortunately, the damage is too extreme; we cannot clone functional organs from this."
Luke's heart fell. He had been so sure he could get his father out of that suit and away from Sidious, but it was just impossible. Tears welled up in his eyes at the thought of his father's continued servitude.
The doctor frowned "Are you by any chance a close relative?" he asked. Luke nodded. "His son."
"Then there may be other possibilities. Could I take a sample of your DNA?" Luke assented willingly, and allowed the doctor to swab the inside of his cheek. Then they waited again for an hour or so.
Finally the doctor returned. "Your DNA is a very good match. It does open up other possible treatments, though there are downsides and risks to both yourself and the patient." Luke gestured to him to continue. Risks wouldn't stop him from trying to help.
"Even with this good a match, the recipient would need medication daily to further reduce the risks of organ rejection. He would need regular medical checks for the first year at least. He would be able to live a far more normal life than at present, without reliance on life support, but the ongoing need for medical care means it would not be as good a result as his own cloned organs would have given."
"And the risk to Luke?"
"The best results would be from taking samples of each separate organ, which requires a lengthy operation. And I believe you said time was of the essence?" They both nodded, they knew it would not be long before the Emperor realised Luke was absent and began to investigate. "The time taken to clone the new organs can be reduced with larger samples. We can give you medication which would encourage the healing and regrowth, but you would be weakened for some time, probably months."
"What kind of timescales are we talking about? With the largest samples?"
"Two weeks to grow the organs. A lengthy operation for the recipient, perhaps two weeks recovery time before he could leave the facility, then two to three months before he regains a reasonable amount of strength."
Luke's face fell. He had hoped they could do this quickly, his father could not be absent for weeks and months without attracting suspicion, and even the fact of his own absence would not be safe for much longer.
Obi-Wan pondered - "What if you went back?" he asked Luke.
"I can't go back with a broken arm, or looking weak and injured. It will be noticed and he'll get to know about it."
"What about smaller samples - something that would not incapacitate Luke so much?"
"We could take smaller samples and it would only take a day or so for him to recover reasonably. He'd still be feeling weak and unwell, and need the medication, but it would seem more like a mild illness than an injury, if that's what you need to avoid. And the arm is treatable - we can get that to mend by the time you leave. It would then be six weeks before the organs were ready for transplantation. Once they are ready we can keep them in that condition for months if need be."
Luke thought it through "So I could be back, looking ok, in a couple of days. I then have to sit it out for six weeks, then get Father here for two weeks minimum, then there's still the recovery time. It's do-able, though the two weeks could be tricky." He pondered again. "Those two weeks would be easier if I stayed on the ship to cover for him. Both of us absent is going to be obvious really quickly, but he has stayed out of sight for that long before. I hate the thought of him here alone though." He looked at Obi-Wan "Would you stay with him?"
"Would he want me to? I will do whatever I can, but he will need to stay calm and focus on his recovery. Would my presence hinder that?"
"I think he'd welcome it. He misses you. And you could talk about what happens next. I have no idea how we move on once he is well, I just want him to have the chance to change things. I don't know how to go about doing that. Maybe the two of you can concoct one of your old plans together?"
Obi-Wan laughed "Our plans never went to plan; we always ended up making it up as we went along. But I'd be happy to occupy him with such thoughts, if you think he'd accept my company."
Luke was on final approach to the Executor in a small shuttle. His arm was as good as new - the cloners could treat simple breaks far better than the usually available methods. He just wished their treatments could fix missing tissue as rapidly - his chest and abdomen ached from the surgery despite the smaller samples they had agreed. But he did not look injured, that was the important thing. He would simply dock with the ship, and hope that his father had managed to conceal his absence. The lack of a log entry for his shuttle's departure could be quickly dealt with - Father was an expert at that - so he would dock in the private bay after a 'short practice flight' which he was known to take from time to time, head back to his quarters, and speak to his father as soon as possible. He needed to be honest about everything now, so they could make the necessary plans.
As he exited the shuttle, he found Captain Piett staring at him. Without knowing what his father had said to cover his absence, he had hoped to get by without having to speak to anyone, but the Captain was obviously not going to just let him pass. "Skywalker - it's so good to see you a... around and about." he stammered.
'Alive' supplied Luke's brain. He's relieved and more than a little surprised to see you alive. What has been happening, what has Father had to say? How can I reply without making things worse?
"I'm sorry to have caused concern." That would cover most things, wouldn't it? "Would you let my father know I'm heading to my quarters now?" Hopefully Father would come straight there and they could sort things out.
"Yes, of course sir, I'll tell him right away" Piett definitely looked startled. Luke just gave what he hoped was a neutral but reassuring smile, and headed to his quarters by the route least likely to take him past anyone else he would have to speak to. He was in luck, getting through the ship without any further conversations, though he was on the receiving end of a few odd looks.
He had only been in his quarters a few minutes when his father arrived, and to his surprise he was immediately grabbed into a hug, which he was happy to return. He had missed his father so much in the last days, and was so very glad to find that he had been missed in turn.
Finally he broke the embrace to ask "What the heck have you told Piett about me? He looked like he had seen a ghost."
His father didn't answer him directly, but said "Come through to my quarters. I'd like to see you properly."
They went through the adjoining door to Vader's own living area, then through to the smaller room he had adapted to provide the medicated and pressurised atmosphere he needed without the suit. After a few minutes the pressure had settled and he took off his helmet and mask and sat so that he could look directly at his son.
"I rather think Piett believed I had caused your death" he said evenly. "Since he was accustomed to meet you frequently around the ship, he has been increasingly suspicious of your unusual decision to stay in your own quarters, and of my inability to provide any convincing reasons why you were choosing to do so. Given the volatility of my temperament, it is hardly surprising his first thoughts were that you had sustained an injury you wished to conceal. After a few days it must have been clear that such a serious injury would have required you to visit the medical centre. Since we both know there are no recent records for you there, he was left with the possibility that your injuries had been immediately fatal and that I was attempting to conceal this unfortunate fact."
Luke listened open-mouthed to this calm explanation. No wonder he had been getting some strange looks, the rumour must be all round the ship by now.
His father continued "Your arm appears surprisingly improved, but I can see that you have recently had surgery. I make no apology for invading your privacy in such matters; your welfare is of great concern to me whatever others may think."
"I, um, it's complicated. Do you have a while?"
Luckily, his father could spare him all the time he needed, which allowed him to tell the whole story. Or at least most of it. He skimmed over his explanation to Obi-Wan, but gave full details of the cloners and their planned treatment, complete with timescales. He hoped that his father would focus on that part of the story, and on making plans to fit the requirements, but unfortunately he had seen Luke's hesitation and came back to it once he was done.
"Luke. You know that I have always tried to respect your privacy, to allow you to have areas of your life where I do not pry." Luke nodded, not looking him in the eye. "It is painfully clear that you have chosen not to mention something to me, something about your reasons for leaving. I had hoped that before long you would confide in me without my having to ask. I am sorry if my behaviour has led you to believe that I do not care, or that I would be angry at you for anything you might tell me. But I... would very much like to know what has happened that you feel so deeply about. If you would consider sharing it with me I promise that I would do my utmost not to react badly."
Luke sat in silence for a long while. His father was being incredibly patient. If he did not tell him now, then there would never be a better time. He could stay silent, but he would have to keep that silence for ever, and never confide in his father about this whole thing.
"Sidious... hurt me. Not just once, but the last few times we've been on Coruscant."
Vader watched him carefully, before asking "And the nature of this 'hurt'?"
Luke blushed and turned away, he couldn't bear to say it out loud.
"I see." He looked up quickly at his father before turning his face away again. He did see, the compassion in his expression made it clear. "And you felt that you couldn't tell me because...?"
"Because you would confront him and he would kill you." Luke muttered.
"True."
He looked up, startled. He had expected denial, anger, even to be sent flying across the room. Not for his father to quietly admit that his assessment was correct.
"I still wish that you had told me. But, since the result would have been my death, without it bringing any improvement to your situation, I can see why you made the choice you did. I could wish that I had pried more at the time; I've known of your intense dislike of Sidious for long enough. But disliking him is such a normal reaction from any sane person that I could hardly view it as odd. The more you saw of him, the more you hated him. But you made no attempt to avoid your meetings, so I assumed you considered them a necessary evil."
He paused at that, clearly pondering that choice of words. "A necessary evil" he repeated. "Except that he is no such thing of course. He is very much an unnecessary evil, and one which the galaxy would be much better without."
"You'll kill him then? Once you're better?" Luke could hardly hide his eagerness at the thought.
"Yes. I have thought it must be done for a very long time, but have lacked the capacity. If I were free of this suit, and in even adequate health, then I believe there are ways it could be achieved." He paused for a moment. "I am not sure that I can promise to make it slow and painful however, I would sooner aim for quick and certain, unless you object strongly?"
"Quick and certain would suit me fine." Luke was startled to find himself calmly discussing the cold-blooded murder of the Galactic Emperor, as if he were any other kind of vermin. "But how?"
"There are many factors to take into account, and I shall consider the options at length. For now I am more concerned with how best to arrange a two week absence from my duties. I am sure if we are suitably cautious the six week period until the organs are ready will not be problematic, but it will be difficult to get away without Sidious becoming aware of it. The operation and immediate recovery were only a day or two, as I recall? For the rest of the time, I might be capable of communicating with Sidious via a link from the medical facility if it became necessary, although I would need the link to be initiated from here."
Luke frowned, "I was planning to stay here to cover for you with the crew, but I don't think I can get access to the communications room to re-route your signal. Not at short notice at any rate." If a call came through without warning, as Sidious's communications generally did, only someone with a high clearance level would be able to transfer it without the caller being aware of the change. And Luke had never been given that kind of authority - it would look strange to give him it now, and such authority could not be 'adjusted' the way a shuttle log or security footage could.
"We will need an accomplice. Someone with that level of clearance. And someone who can reassure the crew that I am merely 'meditating in my quarters' as I believe the euphemism goes."
Luke grinned. His father's temper was legend throughout the Imperial fleet, and it was unclear who had first coined the ironic term to describe his habit of locking himself in his quarters to indulge his most violent moods without endangering the safety of crew and vessel. But the term had stuck, and every crew member knew to avoid this entire deck area at such times. Only Captain Piett had permission to approach, and only then with suitable justification, such as a call from the Emperor or an imminent attack. And only then so that Vader could fly his Tie Advanced against the attackers and put his anger to a more productive use.
"Do you think he would do it?"
"I believe that if the two of us together asked him to walk barefoot across burning coals he would only pause to check the direction and distance before setting off. His loyalty to me has never been in any doubt, the only thing which causes it to waver at times is when it conflicts with the loyalty that he has developed towards you these past few years, which has put him under somewhat of a strain during your absence. His relief at your safety, and the knowledge that we are united in a plan, would provide the final impetus if any was needed. He would do it, certainly. The only question in my mind is whether to inform him of the plan immediately, or to wait the six weeks."
"If we tell him now, we get the advantage of his current feelings." Luke felt rather cynical at saying such things, but years spent with his father seeing how loyalty was built and nurtured had given him an understanding beyond his age. His father could never have achieved a fraction of what he had without a devoted crew behind him, and loyal Captains and Admirals throughout the rest of the fleet. "But he would have to conceal his knowledge from the Emperor if he calls, and that would put him under a lot of stress for a number of weeks."
His father considered. "I think we would do better to have him on peak form for the two weeks of my absence, that is when the need is greatest. And he will perform better then without having been under strain for weeks beforehand. However, I would like to give a few hints that we are working together on something important. I think we should let him know about your recent absence, though in terms that make it sound more planned than it truly was. You were away with my knowledge and approval, carrying out important but unspecified tasks for me. That will set the thought in his mind that something is coming up, plus introduce the idea of concealing an absence from others. His input will be necessary when the time comes, and he may well come up with ideas ahead of time."
"Agreed. And I would certainly prefer him to feel reassured that we are not at each other's throats, even if he can't know the rest of the plan yet."
