Author's Note: So sorry for the delay. I wasn't happy with the development of a character and he is introduced in this chapter. I had to decide if I was going to proceed with how he was originally established, or rewrite the story from this point on. I've decided to go with the rewrite. I really appreciate your patience!

(Ugh- re-posting because this stupid site stripped all of my formatting out. :P )

"What did you do?"

"There's a hole in the shield there." Han smirked. "Not big enough to do any damage, but enough to freak 'em out."

Leia turned her eyes upon him; they were wide and incredulous. "'Freak them out?' Are you crazy, Han?"

"Look, sweetheart, if we want to get in there, we need to them drop the shields. The only way we're gonna get them to do that is to get 'em to deploy."

"We're a piece of junk freighter and a half a squad of X-Wings; do you really think we're going to scare Vader into dropping the shields?"

Han stuck his forefinger against Leia's nose. "First, watch it. Second, I'm not planning on scaring him; I'm planning on tempting him."

Leia slumped back against her seat and sighed. "You're impossible, Solo."

"Thank you."

"What is our ETA, commander?"

The pilot bent slightly as he checked their position. "Just less than two minutes, Sir. Shall our escort engage the few rebels attempting to penetrate the Executor's defenses?"

"No, commander, have them stand down for a bit."

There was a shuffle from behind him and Grand Admiral Thrawn turned his head slightly to address the younger Chiss sitting in the navigation seat. "You have a question?"

"You are not sending the fighters to aid the Executor?" a deep voice asked; there was no question of authority in the tone at all.

Thrawn smiled. "Our mere presence should be enough. I trust that Lord Vader does not want these rebels engaged."

Another slight shift. "Why would he not?"

"He has a grander plan. Much grander."

"Han."

"Shut up, you're getting as bad as Threepio."

"Han..."

"I'm tellin' ya..."

"Han, there is a squadron of T.I.E. fighters coming up on our stern..."

Han suddenly stopped concentrating on the Super Star Destroyer and turned wide eyes upon Leia. "Why didn't you tell me?"

She rolled her eyes.

"Are you just going to let him shoot at your ship?"

"Do you want me to deploy, Skywalker?"

"No, I just find it difficult to believe that you're just going to sit back while he takes potshots at your weak points."

Vader was silent for several steps before he replied evenly. "I need not act."

Luke frowned up at him. "What are you talking about?"

"Thrawn is on his way."

Luke's jaw dropped. "How do you know? Is he going to...?"

"We shall see."

"Pull out, boys! It's getting crowded out here—with the wrong guys."

"We might not get another chance, Han," Wedge's voice snapped and cracked as it came over the comm. "The Executor is heading to Coruscant."

Han sighed. "Yeah, I know."

The young Chiss behind Thrawn leaned forward. "They are fleeing exactly as you said. Excellent."

Thrawn couldn't help but smile.

"Milord!" Vader's comlink chirped. "The rebels have disengaged and have fled into hyperspace."

Vader tilted his head towards Luke as they strode towards the landing bay. "And without one shot fired from the Executor."

Luke ground his teeth and muttered under his breath. "Show-off."

The two stood side-by-side as Thrawn's entourage settled into the landing bay; there was an honor guard present, and a good part of the Executor's bridge staff. Luke remained perfectly still at Vader's side, still slightly fuming over Vader's fireless victory; he watched with narrow eyes as the grand admiral's shuttle lowered its ramp. A tall blue humanoid emerged...

Blue?

He is Chiss.

I've never heard of Chiss.

They hail from C'silla. It is in the Unknown Regions.

Luke dropped the line of questioning as a second Chiss emerged behind the grand admiral. He appeared younger, but Luke could not fathom his age; he looked wise beyond his years... so did Thrawn, he thought after some contemplation. Luke watched in silence as the two approached; the second Chiss was just behind Thrawn's right shoulder.

Thrawn stepped up to Vader and inclined his head in respect; the second Chiss followed suit.

"Lord Vader," Thrawn's opulent voice rang through the landing bay. "It is an honor to accompany you to Coruscant." He tilted his head towards the younger Chiss at his side. "May I introduce to you my son, Molec'rah'nuruodo."

Molec'rah'nuruodo's eyes were sharp, as is he were on watch in a battle zone. There was something in his demeanor that made him seem like a fire cat beneath a polite façade. Molec'rah'nuruodo inclined his head once more as he was introduced. "It is a great honor, Milord," he spoke softly.

Vader nodded. "You go by Crahn?"

"He has taken an unorthodox name, rather than his rightful core name, Milord," Thrawn cut in.

"Oh, yes?"

Molec'rah'nuruodo nodded. "Moloch, Milord."

"Moloch," the Dark Lord rolled the name over his tongue approvingly. "How nice of you to be traveling with your father."

Moloch smiled tightly; his crimson eyes seemed to flash. "Thank you, Milord."

Vader half turned to Luke. "This is Commander Luke Skywalker." He smiled under his mask as Thrawn raised an eyebrow. "He is my... guest." Vader turned himself on his heel before anyone could reply. "Come. We shall show you to your stateroom."

"Thank you, Lord Vader," Thrawn said, throwing a small smile at his son.

Moloch's eyes were fixed upon Skywalker's back.

The two Chiss joined Vader and Luke in the Dark Lord's quarters for dinner. Luke thought it would be highly awkward given Vader's handicap, but the Chiss did not seem phased at all by the bare area of the table in front of Vader.

They discussed the fleet and the government in a professional and, if they asked Luke, boring manner. He was only half listening until the word "Rebellion" came up. He brought his gaze away from his plate, listening closely.

"Has there been any word since Hoth of where the leaders might be hiding?"

"The Rebellion and its movements are not a priority to me at present."

Luke set his fork down. "And why's that?"

The three turned their eyes upon him; they looked almost amused. "I've been hunting them for quite some time, Skywalker," Vader replied pointedly. "And now it is no longer necessary."

Luke frowned. "What do you mean?"

"I thought it would be obvious. I was looking for you."

Luke just stared at the Sith for several moments; then he laid both hands upon the tabletop. "I don't understand."

"Of course you don't. Eat your vegetables."

The young man's jaw dropped. "Excuse me? Will you please stop this? I've been here for... Force knows how long— close to two weeks, and I have no idea what I'm doing here or why I'm still alive! Where's the unthinkably malevolent Sith Lord I've been told stories about for as long as I can remember? Where's the man that murdered Obi-Wan before my eyes? Where's the man who killed my father?"

Thrawn turned a crimson eye upon Vader. "He witnessed the slaying of Kenobi?"

Vader nodded once.

Luke remained silent, his gaze hard.

"And he protests despite Kenobi's wrongs against you?"

Luke's expression fell slightly.

"And despite Kenobi's wrongs against his father?"

Luke's jaw dropped. "What about my father?"

Thrawn glanced at him, as if the answer were obvious. "Kenobi betrayed your father and left him to die."

Luke sat quietly for several moments, just staring at Thrawn. "You're lying," he said; his voice was low: a whispered denial.

Thrawn looked at Vader, cocking an eyebrow slightly.

Vader slowly rose from his seat; Thrawn and Moloch followed suit. The Dark Lord gestured graciously towards his guests. "I apologize, but I'm afraid I need to retire for the evening; Commander Skywalker will do so as well. Do you gentlemen need an escort to your staterooms?"

"No, Milord; we will do just fine, thank you." Moloch and Thrawn nodded politely to Luke and slipped out.

Luke rose from his seat and just stood there, staring at Vader with his jaw slightly dropped.

Vader gazed back at him for a moment then turned away.

"You have to tell me sometime, you know," Luke's voice said softly over his shoulder.

Vader did not look back. "I know. Good night."

"Good morning, Commander Skywalker."

Luke smiled and turned his eyes away from the blurred lines of hyperspace to face Admiral Piett. "Good morning, Admiral."

"To what do we owe the honor of your presence?"

Luke frowned slightly. "I couldn't sleep. What're you doing on graveyard watch anyway?"

Piett pressed his lips into a thin smile. "We are due to reach Coruscant in just a few hours; I am overseeing the preparations for our arrival."

"Do you... do you know why I'm here, Admiral?"

Piett's lips parted slightly; an uncomfortable look passed over his features. "Lord Vader," he replied gently, "will discuss that with you."

"But he won't!" Luke hissed back desperately. "And now Grand Admiral Thrawn is here with his son, and they even seem to know what's going on, and I still am completely in the dark!"

Piett met Luke's frantic gaze calmly. "Perhaps you already know and you just refuse to accept it."

Luke's retort fell dead on his lips as Piett nodded and politely excused himself to continue his duties. Luke looked back at the skewed stars for a moment, then turned and strode from the bridge. Every set of eyes followed him.

Luke leaned his elbow against the table and dragged his fingers through his hair. The grand admiral and his son had joined him and his gracious host/captor for breakfast; the Chiss and the Sith calmly discussed their pending arrival, the state of the emperor, and their need to conceal Luke's identity.

"A simple cowl should be fine," Thrawn commented.

"Some will assume he is a Sith apprentice; we do not need rumors of that kind circulating," Vader responded in his telltale monotone voice.

He could be on fire in that that cocoon of a suit, and he'd still sound like that, Luke thought as he stabbed at a bit of egg.

Vader glanced up at him; something radiated from the Sith. Luke pressed his lips together and looked down at his plate to avoid the Sith Lord's gaze. Somehow, he'd struck a nerve with the man. He shook his head: Did he just refer to Darth Vader as a man?

"What do you plan, Milord?" Thrawn continued as if nothing had happened. Nothing had happened as far as he was concerned.

"Hide him in the open."

Thrawn nodded. "Excellent."

Luke looked up and frowned. "That's a fairly weak idea."

"Yes," Vader said. "As weak as hiding a Jedi child on a desert planet to be raised by moisture farmers."

Luke dropped his fork. "Excuse me?"

Vader folded his arms across his chest. "Do you honestly think that Obi-Wan Kenobi just happened to be living near you?"

Luke just stared at the other, confusion shining through every facet of his face.

"He was watching you, Skywalker. Hiding you."

"From what?"

"From your father."

Luke felt something catch it in his throat—his breath. He coughed and forced himself to breathe; both hands were palm down on the table. "That can't... that can't be."

"You were a child, Skywalker, how can you possibly know what is and what is not?"

Luke's bottom lip dropped slightly. "Can you... can you please just tell me? Can you stop playing these games and just... just tell me?"

"Tell you what, Skywalker?"

"What happened to my father."

Vader rose from his seat and glared down the table at the young man. "I thought you wanted me to leave you be, stop playing my tricks on you, stop treating you less like a guest and more like a prisoner."

Luke opened his mouth to speak, but Vader was already out the door; it hissed shut behind him.

Moloch looked at him; Luke thought he saw a twinge of pity in those claret eyes.