Chapter Twenty Five:
Leia was itching to get out of medical. She needed to get home, and she was on edge with the shivers that had been racing across the Force since last evening. Something was about to happen; Leia could feel it.
And Luke was at the center of it, their father second in line.
Leia shivered to think of the day those two finally met with lethal blows. But she knew that day wasn't any time soon. No: Luke may want free of their parents, but he wasn't at the point of challenging Vader like that. Not yet.
As for Leia, she hadn't been cleared to leave medical yet, so all she could do was sit and wait.
But that also allowed her to plan for how she would explain herself to her parents. No doubt her father and mother were aware of Leia's fake mission by now and wanted an explanation.
Leia sighed wearily as the chrono on the wall marked another hour gone. Her sole source of constant comfort was Artoo, who refused to leave her side. Wedge had brought in a portable charging unit for the little astromech to keep his power cells fresh with, and Leia was grateful.
For Leia, Artoo was fast becoming the friend Luke had in the little droid. It was almost like Leia had a loyal pet to stand and guard her, but also bring needed comfort in their sweet, caring way. Leia knew she owed her sanity to Artoo, and she made a mental note to do something special for the little astromech when she had the chance.
For now, however, all she could do was wait and see what happened that was making the Force itself quiver with anticipation.
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Luke gazed into the eyes of an almost-stranger. He had become so accustomed to seeing himself in his disguise that his natural looks were foreign to him anymore. His blond hair was still a little dark, but the last traces of hair dye would pass with time. His eyes, no longer using the brown-colored contacts, were back to their normal, healthy blue.
But as he gazed into his own refection, he noted that his eyes, while back to their normal hue, had changed overall. He saw in his gaze the sadness of a son who had lost his parents' love years ago. He saw the deepening of understanding that had come from his sojourn into the galaxy. He saw the change that had overcome him while he'd been relatively free of his parents: Luke had seen the galaxy for once while out from under his parent's oppressive shadow.
But most of all, Luke saw someone who was teetering on the edge of full rebellion or finally giving in to his parents just to stop all the fighting. But deep within him, Luke knew that his bended knee would only bring himself more heartache, more pain... and he wouldn't be able to live with himself afterwards.
Luke had spent the time of his absence from 'home' thinking of what he would do now. Well, for the moment Luke knew he was going to be returned to Coruscant. But it was no longer home for him.
Home for Luke was wherever Leia was, and that was all.
Luke feared what awaited him on Coruscant, but he also knew, somehow, that it would begin the second leg of his journey to become his own person. Thoughts of Leia had come to Luke as he removed his hair dye and contacts, and he'd used the mundane tasks to allow his mind to wander, so much so that he had driven himself mad with worry over his sister.
What had become of her? He still recalled the echoes of her pain, but it was his vision that worried him the most.
Her pain, which he had finally worked out to have been separate from the vision— just happening at the same time— had been very real. And while he knew she wasn't dead, he still didn't know where she was, what had happened, or if she was alright.
Luke eventually pushed away his worry for Leia so he could focus on what he knew he had to do now. Nella had been given her instructions, and he trusted her to follow them. Now all he needed was the courage to face Han.
Luke hated to think of how his friend would react to the truth of who had been flying with the smuggler and the Wookiee all this time. Han would no doubt be angry, feel betrayed, and Luke didn't blame the man.
But Luke had come to see Han as a true friend, and even a brother. Luke loved him as a brother, and he didn't want to lie to Han anymore. A cold shiver of premonition traveled up his spine, causing the young man to straighten.
Luke closed his eyes, taking deep, centering breaths and waiting for the moment he would be needed.
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Vader stood ramrod straight in front of the forward viewport. Gaze on the stars where the Falcon was supposed to exit hyperspace. His son was coming, and Vader was ready.
His Super Star Destroyer was waiting to collect the piece of junk Solo dared call a ship into its mouth-like hangar bay on the belly of the massive spacecraft. TIE's would swarm the smaller vessel and overwhelm it, allowing Vader's flagship to get within tractor beam range. Then, once the freighter was docked, Vader's elite 501st would board the ship and apprehend its occupants...
Unless Luke proved to be problematic. Vader may have to use caution, something he sensed in the Force.
Vader lifted a brow. Luke had never stood up to his father before, but after his son's hiatus from duty, Vader wasn't entirely sure what to expect from his child.
Vader pursed his lips thoughtfully, willing for now to let his son play his hand.
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Han may not have had the Kid's hokey powers, but he did have a gut sense of his own. It had been born of his harsh, only-count-on-yourself life and Han had never questioned it. He knew when something bad was coming their way.
He knew it now, and he was admittedly afraid, though he'd die before he said that out loud. He did glance to Chewie, though, and voiced his opinion of their situation.
"I don't like this, Chewie," Han muttered.
The Wookiee gave the human a look that any other person would have cringed at. [This whole job was your idea, Han. You shot down the Cub when he tried to speak out against it, and you were adamant that we do this. Now, when we are mere minutes out, you finally question the job?]
Han glared at his copilot. "Hey, you don't want to have Jabba's target painted on your back anymore than I do, Pal. I'm not questioning the job, just the situation. Something doesn't add up here."
The Wookiee voiced his sarcastic rebuttal that a lot of things hadn't added up of late, and Han chose to ignore the jab. Though it was mostly because the navicomputer was now beeping an alert.
"Well, whatever it is, we're about to find out I suppose." Han flipped on the ship-wide comlink. "Kid, look sharp, we're exiting hyperspace."
He turned back to the controls and took the helm just as the counter hit ten, moving to zero. There was a ball of lead forming in his gut that was only getting larger, so Han looked to Chewie.
"Have the shields up as soon as we revert."
Chewie nodded, and Han pushed the hyperspace levers forward to take the Millennium Falcon from lightspeed to sublight speed.
"Lucky for us, this job doesn't require us to go groundside," Han was remarking as the stars became pinpricks again. "The guy said we only have to dock on an old space station to get the..."
A proximity alarm wailed at them just as Chewie harned, pointing out the viewport.
"Fierfek!" Han swore viciously.
There, to the left of their own position, and looking as dangerous as they had always been claimed to be, was none other than a Super Star Destroyer.
Han instantly took his ship into a dive. "What in space is the Empire doing here?! No one cares about Reecee!"
Chewie roared his distress. [I don't know, but that doesn't look like your average Star Destroyer.]
Han glanced over to see the Wookiee punching commands into the computer and soon the hairy being tensed. "What?"
[Han, that's the Emperor's personal flagship... that is the Executor!] Chewie informed him with no small amount of anxiety.
Han's jaw dropped. "The Emperor?"
Another alert snapped Han's attention to it, and he growled under his breath. "We've got enemy fighters coming in!"
Chewie began flipping more switches, bringing their weaponry to life as Han maneuvered away from the first set of TIE fighters to reach them. A barrel roll to port freed him from their immediate range, only to bring him into targeting range of another group.
Han hissed a choice vulgarity and then had a moment to wonder why they weren't already firing back. "Where's the Kid?"
Chewie glanced at the back of the cockpit, as if seeing something Han couldn't. [Velius has been in the refresher for a long time now, Han. He may be sick.]
Han frowned. "He seemed perfectly fine to me outside of his attitude earlier." He punched the comm. again and shouted into the speaker. "Velius, make yourself useful and man a turret! We've got TIE fighters swarming us!"
He didn't expect to see the Kid appear in the door of the cockpit during his diatribe. "I'm right here, Han."
Han barely glanced his way. "Glad you could join us. Get to the top gun and try to get a few of those TIE fighters off our tail. We're going to get out of here."
Han put actions to words and started to turn the ship onto a new heading so they could jump to hyperspace. To his surprise, Velius didn't leave to do as Han had asked. He instead came to stand between the seats, his gaze on the Super Star Destroyer now heading in their direction and gaining quickly.
"You're not going to outrun the Emperor's ship, Han," Velius stated softly.
Han threw him an annoyed glare, a rebuttal on the tip of his tongue... and then Han froze when he took in the Kid's new appearance. Was that what the young man had been doing in the refresher this whole time? Changing his hair and... eyes?
Han's distraction cost them, and Chewie bellowed as a TIE scored a hit on the Falcon that rocked the ship. The lights flickered, and Han spun back around to the controls, trying to quell his rising panic.
"What was hit?" Han demanded of his co-pilot.
[Sublight engine number two took a hit, but is still running well enough to get us out of here,] Chewie replied.
"They're not shooting to kill," Velius told Han, who ground his teeth in annoyance that the Kid was just standing there.
"Yeah?" Han snapped, glaring at the youth. "And how do you know that?"
Velius looked down, eyes closing briefly as he reached out a hand. "I'm sorry Han... so sorry that I dragged you into my problems."
Han frowned in confusion at the way the Kid was acting; something that doubled when the teen opened a hailing channel using a code Han knew was restricted.
"ISSD Executor, cease fire. Let me speak with the Emperor; code clearance white," Velius said in a voice Han had never heard him use before.
In the lapse of time between the Kid's bold move and the Empire's response, Han stared in open wariness. "Kid... Velius, what is going on?"
Velius sighed, his shoulders drooping somewhat. "My name is not Velius. It was just a front to cover up my identity. As was my previous look. I never wanted to hurt you... even when I was sent to kill you."
Han's befuddled reply was cut off by the burst of static that preceded an incoming transmission.
"Attention Millennium Falcon, prepare to receive a transmission from the Emperor."
Han looked from the communications console, then to the looming hulk of the Super Star Destroyer, and finally back to the Kid. And then comprehension dawned on Han... and the lead ball in his gut doubled in size.
"You're..." Han whispered hoarsely.
Chewie frowned at Han, but didn't interrupt, though his curiosity to know what Han had figured out was plain. Han ignored everything but the teenager, a young man whose actions, skill set and overall behavior made a lot more sense now.
Han hadn't ever stopped to think much more of it, having had no reason to, but now that he did, he was caught between anger at being fooled and being honored that the Kid had chosen Han out of all people to trust. Han looked closely at the tow-headed youth with his intense, but sad blue eyes, and waited for the other human to confirm his suspicions.
"My name is Luke Vader," Velius said. "I am the Prince... and though you weren't aware of it because I erased the files, I have been marked as missing... or rather, it's said I was kidnapped by you two when I left my post."
Chewbacca jerked, his fangs showing in a bout of fury... and fear. [You are the Prince?! And we supposedly stole you from the Empire?!]
Luke Vader turned to the Wookiee, clearly apologetic. "Yes."
Han opened his mouth to speak, but at first nothing came out, and he was actually somewhat relieved when his chance was interrupted by a new voice over the communications array.
"You have a lot to explain, Son." Emperor Vader growled.
"I do," Luke answered calmly, but Han could hear the certainty of... something in the other's tone. "However, I will not come willingly unless you meet my demands."
There was a pregnant pause, and Han could just imagine the Emperor lifting an eyebrow at that.
"You are hardly in any position to make such demands, Luke," Vader replied.
"I think I am," Luke responded. "You want me alive. That can still not happen."
The threat was implicit, and Han did a double-take. Why would the Kid let himself die instead of returning to his luxurious home? Then some of the teenager's remarks from the day he'd tried to kill Han resurfaced.
"Do you really have to do it?" Han wanted to know.
"Yes," Luke whispered urgently.
Han lifted a brow. "Why do you have to do the job?"
Luke ground his teeth. "Because it's what I've been... trained to do. And if I don't then the retribution will be terrible."
Han recalled how troubled the young man had always been, especially on that day. Luke had always been afraid of the Emperor, but Han had only thought it was fear of an apprentice to master.
Now Han suspected there as far more going on than he knew. Han's heart, despite the sting of betrayal— he wasn't happy about being lied to— panged with pity for the young man next to him.
"Name your terms then," Vader eventually ground out, clearly upset that he had to barter like this to get his son back.
"Han and Chewbacca get to go free," Luke declared firmly. "They had no idea who they've been harboring this whole time. I was under cover, so they are innocent in this. I will jettison in an escape pod. Once their ship is in hyperspace, I will allow myself to be picked up. Try to kill my friends, and I will not be returning with you to Coruscant."
Han blinked in surprise. The Kid wasn't trying to get himself free? He was trying to save his friends instead? As upset as Han was, he couldn't let the Kid throw himself away like this.
"Wait, Kid, no..." Han began to interject, ignoring the Emperor's hiss of disapproval at Han's nickname for the Prince of the galaxy. "Don't do this, we can still..."
"Han," Luke said softly, ending the smuggler's bold statement. "I can run no longer, and you can't fight this battle. Get free while you can."
Han glared, but this time it lacked the sting of true anger. Han didn't care in that moment that Luke had lied to him: he still cared for the Kid... his little brother. "The hell I can't! This old bird's still got a few surprises in her!"
Luke actually smiled, albeit softly. "I know. But this is no longer your choice. I'm sorry." He returned his attention to the communications unit. "Father? Your answer?"
"I had planned to give your... companions to Fett." Vader intoned. "But I am willing to alter the deal... for you. Just this once. I will let them go, but I will not remove their bounty. Fett will wait one hour and then come after the smuggler."
Luke nodded. "Agreed."
Han gaped as Luke then cut the transmission and turned to leave. The prince paused at the doorway and stood stiffly for a time before he turned. Han was taken aback to find Luke's face moist with tears.
"Thank you, both of you, for all you did for me," Luke whispered. "You opened my eyes... helped me see things I never would have before. You gave me a chance to figure myself out away from the oppression of my parents. I owe you one."
He met each of the smugglers' gazes. "I am truly sorry I lied to you and put you in danger. I didn't want my real identity to follow me everywhere and ruin any chance of a clean slate."
Luke turned to go. "I'll miss you both."
He was gone before Han could register the movement, but it was the sound of an escape pod's door opening that jolted Han from his stupor.
"Kid, wait!" Han shouted as he leapt from his chair to race after the teen.
Luke turned when Han got closer, and he looked a little wary. Han stopped somewhat awkwardly, but then spoke his mind. "What are you going back to?"
Luke's face fell enough that Han had his answer. "I'm going somewhere you can't follow," Luke said cryptically.
Han touched the other's shoulder. "I can't let you just walk to your fate."
Luke didn't answer, but instead placed a hand over Han's, gently pushing the limb away. "You can. I must go. I won't let you and Chewie suffer for my mistakes. I will face my dues as they come to me. And... I must know what became of my sister."
Luke started to enter the pod, but then paused and abruptly turned. He surprised Han by crushing him into an embrace. "You've become a brother to me, Han. If I ever make it out, you can call on me for anything."
Han's throat closed at that, and he threw his pride aside and returned the hug, patting Luke on the back. "You stay strong, Kid. You've got greatness in you."
Luke pulled away, offering a final smile. "Say goodbye to Chewie for me."
And with that he entered his pod, with Han sending him out of the Falcon in it. Han stared at the voided slot for several seconds before Chewie called for him to come to the cockpit again.
Han's movements were slower than before as he maneuvered their ship to a jump point. He happened to glimpse the free-floating escape pod as he did so and for the first time in his life Han uttered a silent prayer to the Kid's hokey religion for Luke to be okay.
Without giving himself the chance to ruin the Kid's sacrifice, Han pulled the hyperspace levers, unaware that a furious Boba Fett was watching.
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Boba hailed the Emperor as the Corellian freighter winked out of the system. "You said he was mine!"
"I am altering the deal, Bounty Hunter." Vader snarled, at the end of his patience. "And if you don't watch yourself, even your specialized ship won't save you from the wrath of mine."
Fett barely managed to reign in his rebuttal; well aware of the very real chance Vader would do just that. And he was right: Fett had stationed himself in a position that would allow Vader to take him out swiftly, foolishly believing that the Emperor was good for his word.
Fett would remember this day.
"You may go after him in an hour. You have, after all, been tracking his ship." Vader sneered, cutting the transmission and leaving a fuming Boba to mutter curses under his breath.
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Luke saw the Falcon leave, and he breathed a sigh of relief at the sight. But then the reality of what was coming for him settled in fully and he swallowed. Determined to hold his head high, however, Luke swallowed his fear and worked to accept that he was now headed for a very painful immediate future.
His father would send Luke to sublevel twelve as soon as they got back to Coruscant. And Luke didn't know if he could handle it. He was well within his right mind to be terrified of that underground prison and torture center.
As his pod was pulled in by the Executor's tractor beam, Luke prepared himself for the reunion with his father. Some part of him wondered if his father— the one who had once loved his son— still lived him, and if so maybe Luke could talk Vader into forgiving Luke and not hurting him.
Shmi's words of courage and her plea for him to be strong surfaced, giving Luke a needed boost. This allowed him to remain calm, and when his escape pod was opened Luke stepped out to find his path blocked by his Emperor.
"Hello Father," Luke whispered.
(A/N: I am heading out to Celebration Monday, so if I don't update for a while, it's cause I'm having too much fun :D See you all later!)