They had been back at the fleet for a few days now, and she was strolling down the corridor headed to Luke's room, wanting to see how he was doing. After the shock of Vader's confession had worn of, he seemed to be back to his old self. Reaching her hand out she knocked on the door, but there was no reply, which was strange since he had said he would be there. Something had probably come up, so she decided to head to the hangar to wait for Han to arrive instead. Just the thought of him made her smile, she had missed him terribly, at the moment he was one of the few things in her life that made sense.
Sitting on a cargo crate, she watched as the Falcon made its decent onto the landing platform. When she saw the familiar sight of Han and Chewie walking down the ramp she hopped to her feet. It was the first time she had seen them in weeks.
"Missed me princess?" Han said, when he spotted her. Rolling her eyes, she smiled "Maybe. How was the hunt?"
"Oh you know, nothing me and Chewie couldn't handle" Chewie made some roaring sounds in agreement before heading back inside the Falcon. "We had the imperials on the run in no time"
"I am sure you did" she said fondly "Though they are stragglers, the empire is dead"
"You try to tell them that" he added, before leaning down to kiss her, stepping on her tip toes she kissed him back with everything she had, running her fingers through his thick brown hair. He took a step back, looking down at her, brows knit "Everything alright?"
Smiling at him, she could not help but wonder what had given her away "It's nothing that can't wait." she told him, and it was technically the truth, but now that he was back she knew she had to tell him about Vader, but this was not the right place for that particular conversation.
"Alright, alright if you say so. Far be it for me to argue with royalty. So where is that brother of yours? We hardly got time to speak before you sent us on our merry way"
"He should be around here somewhere, I haven't seen him since last night."
"Well I am starving so while we wait for him let's get something to eat" Han replied, taking her hand, tugging her towards the mess hall. Smiling she let him lead her away, all her worries forgotten for a moment.
The next morning there was still no signs of Luke, so she decided to head back to the hanger to look for his fighter, but it was not in its usual spot. Walking over to the hanger chief, she asked him to look though the departure log.
"Everything seems to be in order your highness, the general took his fighter out two days ago, at least that's what the log says." He replied pointing down at the specified entry. His was a short man, rather non-descript, but his face looked familiar to her. "Did he specify a location?" she asked frowning, it was odd that Luke would have gone off without first saying goodbye.
His dark eyes searched the log again "No, not as I can see, your highness" It hit her then where she knew him from, he was a survivor of Alderaan just like her. Since its destruction the alliance had been flooded with new recruits, men and women who had lost their homes, and now had nothing left to loose. Many of them still referred to her as your highness. Even if the title held no real political power, it had meaning to the people, especially since so few of them remained.
"Thank you, if he does return inform me immediately" she said, returning her focus back to the man in front of her.
"Yes off course your highness" The word should have reassured here everything was in order, but as she left the hangar an eerie feeling of wrongness crawled down her spine.
By the evening there were still no signs of him, she had spent the day asking around if anyone had seen him, with no success. The feeling of dread had grown, causing her to break out in cold sweats. So now she found herself back again at his room. Not bothering to knock this time, she entered, it was as she expected empty. Not liking the idea of rifling through his things, she still had a look around for any clues to where he might have gone. But the room was pristine, showing no trace of him.
Leia could no longer deny that something was wrong, but so far all she had to go by was a bad feeling, hardly damning evidence of a wrong doing. She feared there was only one person around here that would believe her, and she had put of going to see him. Now as she looked around the empty room, she knew she no longer had a choice. Shutting the door behind her, she left Luke's room and headed in the direction of the cells.
When she had reached her destination, she just stood there for a while hand pressed on the door release, just looking at the cell door like it was an impassable obstacle in her path. It wasn't until one of the guards coughed, she forced herself to press it, standing out here would do Luke no good. Reluctantly she stepped into the room, she had not seen Vader since their return from Naboo, not even in an official capacity, yet annoyingly enough he had never been far from her mind.
His cell was sparsely furnished, containing a bed, a small table, and a large chair, not that he was sitting in it at the moment, but on the floor cross legged, eyes closed. The moment the door slid shut behind her, he opened them and focused his gaze on her.
"Something is wrong isn't" he stated matter of factly.
Biting her lip, she looked around the room again, never having actually been in his cell before, before she had always had him brought to her. Never had she actually gone to him, not until now., not since that first day.
"I don't know, Luke is missing, or he has gone away. I am not sure" Facing away from him she paced the length of the small room. "The docking records are in order, but no one knows where he has gone. Has he been here to see you?"
"No, but he was rather upset with me, he might just need some time alone" he offered.
"Luke is not one to bear a grudge for long, and he wouldn't leave without telling me." She replied, turning back to look down at him. "Han says I am overreacting, that he will be back anytime now. It's just that I can't shake this feeling that something is very wrong." She said, her words coming out in a rush, but she couldn't help it. "I was wondering if maybe you had sensed something?"
Vader closed his eyes again for a moment, and she felt his presence grow brighter again, like it had on back on Naboo. "I have sensed a disturbance in the force, but I would know if Luke was seriously hurt" he replied, opening them and getting to his feet.
"So would I, but I am unable to sense where he is, maybe you can?" she knew she sounded agitated, but Luke was the only family she had left.
"If I could sense where Luke was at any time, you would never have been able to escape me in the past. He is probably just too far away Leia." He told her, patiently.
She walked over to the chair, and sat down perching on its edge. What was she even doing her? This was all nonsense, but she didn't know where else to turn.
"Have you had any more dreams, maybe about Luke?" he asked casually, but she wasn't fooled.
"No" and she hadn't, after her return from Naboo she had mostly slept all through the night, in fact if not for Luke's disappearance, she felt more rested then she had in weeks, maybe her little outburst had helped, or she was simply too exhausted to dream.
"Good" He replied, leaning up against the wall in front of her, and she could tell he was relieved. "You have strong instincts Leia, trust in them."
Normally she did, but this was all new to her, her use of the force rudimentary at best. Unfortunately, the only one available to help her now was Vader, and she didn't know if she trusted him.
"Where was he last seen? Go there. Use your senses, maybe you will have a vision that can help." He added.
"I don't know how" she snapped at him. Angrier with herself than him, if she hadn't been so stubborn when Luke had offered to teach her, maybe she would know. Trying to calm herself she took a deep breath, before speaking again, forcing the uncomfortable words out. "Will you help me?"
"You know I will Leia" he replied softly, as he moved of the wall coming closer towards her.
Getting to her feet, she reluctantly had to admit she did know. Even after everything, some part of her had started believing in him, or else she wouldn't be there right now. It was an altogether uncomfortable thought, too complacent for her liking, but for Luke's sake she would risk it.
"I think we should start with Luke's room, and I would rather no one knew about this. Also I have to put these on" she told him, picking up the handcuffs she had brought just in case" And you will do exactly as I say at all times, do you hear me?"
He nodded, offering her his wrists.
"Promise me" she asked, searching his eyes, after locking the handcuffs.
"I promise Leia" he replied, his blue eyes honest. Satisfied with what she saw there, she led him to the door.
"Where are you taking the prisoner?" one of the guards asked as they stepped into the corridor.
"For a medical check-up" she told him, pushing Vader ahead of her.
"I have had no clearance for that"
"You have now" she said, staring the man down with her iciest glare.
"Yes, mam" he mumbled letting them pass. Vader gave her an amused look.
"You would have made you mother proud." he added, when they had walked out of sight of the guards. Even if Padme still was a sore spot between them she couldn't help the small smile that started tugging at her lips, she would've liked that.
When they reached Luke's room, she closed the door behind them and removed the handcuffs, they were all for show anyway, he could probably easily break them. Let loose Vader closed his eyes for a moment, before he started walking around the room.
"Do you sense anything?" she asked, trying not to sound to hopeful.
"Are you always this impatient?" he asked, while leaning down on the floor, looking underneath the bunk bed.
"When my brother's life may be at stake. Yes, I am" she said, coming to stand beside him. He was holding a small thin metal piece in his hand. "I don't think that piece of junk will tell us where Luke is, he has probably just been tinkering with something"
Vader turned the piece around in his hand, studying it "This is not junk. It's a piece of an astromech droid, specifically an R2 unit."
She hadn't even thought about Artoo, had just assumed he had been with Luke, but if something had happened to Luke, then where was the droid? "He might just have dropped it during repairs, it doesn't have to mean anything" she said, unconvinced by her own words.
"That might be, but where would be the best place to dispose of the rest of him?" Vader asked, looking at her.
"There are garbage chutes on each floor but they are emptied at regular intervals"
"Then I suggest we hurry" he replied, getting to his feet. Together they went back into the corridor checking each chute. When she was about to give up, she finally caught a glimpse of a round head, at the bottom of the last one.
"Over here, I think I found him. I will send someone down to fish him out" she called out to Vader, who came over peeked into the chute, and with a flick of his hand Artoo started floating upwards, before landing softly on the corridor floor in front of her. That was kind of useful, she had to admit.
Artoo's doomed head was hanging off, and there were several broken pieces, and loose wiring sticking out. "Oh no Artoo, what happened to you?" she asked, kneeling in front of him, but he made no beep in reply. Vader kneeled down next to her "I only caught a brief image, but I think he tried to defend Luke."
That sounded just like Artoo she thought sadly. Frowning she reached out a hand to touch him, the droid had been more loyal then most men she knew. Losing him would devastate Luke, and herself if she was honest. They would never have gotten this far without him.
"I can fix him Leia" Vader said gently.
Blinking she nodded, before letting her hand come to rest on Artoo's broken form. As she did an image flashed across her mind. Her and Vader on a dreary damp planet, surrounded by swamp, and a voice in her head whispered her name. Shocked she let go, and would have fallen backwards if Vader hadn't reached out a hand to steady her.
"What is it, did you see something?" he asked, sounding concerned.
"Dagobah" she whispered to herself, to distracted to shrug Vader off.
"Dagobah? Is Luke there?" Vader asked more urgently this time. Coming to herself again, she got up. "I am not sure, but I know we have to go there at once"
"We? Your taking me with you?" he asked her in surprise.
"Apparently I am, come we should hurry" she said, wondering if she somewhere along the line had lost her mind. Together they started walking back down the corridor.
"How long can you keep this up?" she asked Vader, looking at Artoo rolling ahead of them, to any onlookers it would look like he was doing it by his own accord, though his head was still hanging at an odd angle. Unfortunately, they had no luck in reactivating him.
"For as long as it takes us to get where we are going" he replied, not even looking like he was concentrating. "it's a bit creepy" she said.
Just as they were about to turn around a corner in the corridor, Leia heard voices approaching, quickly she opened the door closest to her an ushered Vader in, after Artoo was safely inside she shut the door behind them.
"You're to recognisable, it will take us forever to get there if we move at this pace." She told him.
"May I ask why we are hiding?" he asked quizzically, folding his hands across his chest. "These are your people surely this is unnecessary?"
"I told you I would rather no one knew about this. For my own reasons"
"You don't trust them" he stated, she ignored him. "You stay here, I have something to take care off. If you leave remember I can track you!"
Vader looked around the small space "It's a cupboard, this is highly undignified." Leia got the distinct feeling he was teasing her.
"Well you did promise to do everything I told you" she said, giving him a small smirk, and the last thing she saw before she closed the door in his face, was his eyes widen in surprise.
Notes:
I admit I was being a bit silly when I wrote the last bit, but it can't be all dreary all the time:) Thanks again to all my followers. And I read all your reviews, much appreciated.