Thank you as always to my lovely beta, SpellCleaver! ^_^ This one was a longer chapter to beta, so she deserves all the kudos and love!

Han almost wished he was back on the Executor.

Almost.

At least there he wasn't completely out of his element. He had, after all, once been an Imperial. Not that Vader cared. But Leia was there, and being so far away from her while she was in the clutches of Vader-her kriffing father-didn't sit well with him.

Here, on the pleasure barge that was Prince Xizor's mobile headquarters, he was almost totally out of his depth.

Sure, he was used to dealing with crime syndicates. The Hutts. Crimson Dawn. Hell, he'd run into Black Sun a few times, too. But he'd avoided them as much as possible due to their stronger entanglements with the Empire.

Prince Xizor especially. The Falleen had some sway with the Emperor that even Jabba hadn't had. That alone made him lethal.

But he stood in the man's office with a relaxed posture anyway, swirling a drink in his hand.

"You're no longer a wall ornament," Prince Xizor observed from behind his desk, with a grin that definitely didn't touch his eyes.

He gave a non committal one-shoulder shrug. "I don't recommend it."

That got a raspy laugh. "I heard you were a charming one. Han Solo. Legendary outlaw. Though you're missing your furry companion, and your famous ship."

"The Falcon needed some repairs. Chewie should have it done as we speak." Where Vader had gotten the non-descript cargo ship he'd flown here, Han had no idea. He wasn't about to have a ship conversation with the second most powerful man in the galaxy. It was too...normal. But it had done decently enough getting there.

It wasn't the Millennium Falcon, though.

"Yes, I've heard that about the ship, too. A hunk of junk, people call it."

"She's the fastest hunk of junk in the galaxy." He tried not to sound offended. He'd rather have a conversation about ships with Vader than get into an argument about them with Xizor.

"I didn't mean offense. I'm just curious why Han Solo, Rebellion pilot and smuggler, is seeking an audience with me." He leaned forward in his seat, blue eyes flashing.

"Former Rebellion pilot," Han corrected, taking a gulp of the drink.

He tried not to make a face. It was...far too sweet. But one thing he'd learned about crime lords: they didn't like it when you insulted their food.

"Former?"

"Yeah. Wasn't in it for the cause. My friend is dead, and the girl I loved…" He trailed off. "It didn't work out."

"Ah." He leaned back again, steepling his fingers over his chest. "Too bad about Skywalker. I expected a more glorious death for a Jedi."

He took another drink. That one wasn't for show. "Yeah. Too bad," was all he said on that subject.

He didn't want to think about what was currently happening to the kid, but it was why he was there. As much as he didn't like or trust Vader, they could agree on Luke, it seemed.

"So who does Han Solo serve now?"

"'Fraid that's confidential, Your Highness."

"Oh?"

"Yeah. All I can say is they were the ones who destroyed Jabba."

Just as Leia predicted, that got the prince interested, though he tried not to show it. "Now that is a mystery that everyone is talking about these days. And you say it's confidential?"

"Yeah. I'm under strict orders, I'm afraid." Because Vader would definitely strangle him (or worse) if he deviated from the plan in any way.

"I see. And what does this...organization want from me?"

"Information."

"Funny. They don't seem willing to share information with me. Why should I bother giving them anything?"

Han shrugged, placing the empty glass on a tray. "I mean. If you want to piss off the people who took down Jabba, be my guest."

Xizor's eyes narrowed. "Is that a threat, Solo?"

"No. It's just a reminder of who you're dealing with." He motioned to the case that he'd brought with him. "Plus, do you usually get threats with a bunch of credits?"

He tilted his head, watching as Han opened the case and revealed enough credits to make a man rich for two lifetimes. "You'd be surprised...so what information do they want, specifically?"

"They want to know about any ships you may have lost in the last month and a half. Where they were last heard from. If there were any survivors. That sort of thing."

His brow furrowed. "That's it? Your employer sends you here with a vague threat and a king's ransom for that?"

"Look, I don't ask questions. I get paid for successful completion of the job, alright?" He'd thought it was a bit overkill too, but Vader wasn't leaving things up to chance. The guy apparently had a serious protective streak for his kids.

"So you don't know why he's looking for this info?"

"Didn't say it was a he."

Xizor rolled his eyes. "The question still stands."

"Nope. No idea." Han paused. "Do you wanna get paid or not? Easiest money you could make, if you ask me."

"Yes…" Xizor frowned, then pulled out a datapad from a drawer. Han waited as he worked with it, pulled out a data chip, scanned it, and held it out to him. "There you are. All lost ships in the last month and a half, including their last known locations. Unfortunately, we've run into a bit of trouble recently with some of the neighboring syndicates. You know how it goes."

"Yeah." Han took the chip, turning it over in his hand. "And this is all of them?"

Xizor glared. "I don't appreciate the distrust."

"Sorry. Habit. And as I said, the people I report to...they won't be happy if it's not exactly what they paid for." Han pocketed the chip. "Thanks for the business."

"Your employer is quite peculiar. Any chance I'll meet him...I'm sorry, them, in the future?"

Something told him the man had some guesses. He just hoped he would assume he'd never work for Darth Vader, of all people. "Probably so."

"I told you this would happen, Princess," Threepio tutted as they walked away from a group of Rodians. Yet again, Leia had shown the doctored holo Vader created of Luke with darker hair and eyes, and no one had seen anyone like that. "I am sure that Darth Vader landed at the wrong port."

"Hush, Threepio." She shot a glare at the golden droid before scanning the street again. "And no, I don't think that's it."

She'd lost count of how many people she'd shown the holo to. They only approached those who looked like someone Luke might stop to talk to. Which was most people. He was supposed to be under cover but...he was still Luke. Even running from the Empire, the guy was too friendly for his own good. Plus, Vader had specifically mentioned a Rodian family, so she made sure to talk to any Rodians she ran across.

Honestly, she didn't know how Vader did it. He claimed that the Force was his guide and that's how he'd pick up Luke's trail. And...well, she couldn't say it didn't work; usually it did. But whenever she watched him do it, he just stood there, looking off into the distance, and then he just...acted.

Even Luke had his moments. They were moments where he'd pause, get a funny look on his face, then say they shouldn't go that way, or they should make friends with the people trying to kill them, or whatever the crazy situation may be. He had far less training than Vader, and he'd managed the mystical communication with the Force just fine.

She had no doubt she could, but the question was how? What did it feel like? Meditation she could kind of understand since that wasn't a principle specific to Jedi or Sith. Was receiving answers from the Force like a prayer?

They reached a fork in the road and she stopped. "Which way, Princess?" Threepio asked.

She frowned, considering. Now, she supposed, was as good as any time to try it out.

Oh great and powerful Force, she began in her head, staring as hard as she could at the different paths to take, where did Luke go? Who saw him?

Silence.

Clearly, it wasn't like a prayer.

"Princess, are you alright?"

She sighed. "Yes. Sorry." She should have asked Vader how he did it. Or, better yet, she should figure out meditation and ask Luke. "Let's just go down this way."

They headed down a street lined with what could barely pass for buildings. Downed ships, mostly from the Clone Wars, had been turned into makeshift homes. The air smelled strongly of old engine oil and grease, along with the unwashed filth of waste dumped into the gutters.

"I hardly think Master Luke would have come down here," Threepio said, appalled.

"He would if he was trying to keep a low profile," she countered before she approached another group of people.

Again, no one recognized the holo.

It continued on like that, until finally Leia was about ready to give up. Vader would get tired of waiting and either contact her through the comm he'd given her, or worse, he'd find her himself. The idea of having to explain to him that she hadn't found anything, thus proving him right, made her clench her fists in irritation.

No. She'd picked this task because she knew Luke. She was his twin sister, dammit. Vader wasn't the only one who had some mystical connection to him.

It was as she lamented this that her eyes caught sight of an open doorway tucked behind a half-rotted ship hull. A glowing neon sign hung above it that simply said Cantina, and a drunk Yuzzum was passed out in the shadows.

Luke didn't like alcohol. She knew that for a fact. He'd only sip at it when Han or Rogue Squadron took him out drinking. With Han, she knew for a fact he often ordered the milk anyway. Of anywhere she'd looked, that was the least likely for him to go.

And yet she couldn't tear her eyes off of it.

He wouldn't. I know him. He probably wouldn't have even finished whatever he ordered if he did…

But she was moving for it anyway.

Was this what that 'Force feeling' was? She didn't know. For now, she wasn't about to ignore what drew her to the cantina, just in case it was.

"Oh, dear," Threepio muttered nervously as they entered. "I'm quite sure he wouldn't have come in here."

The room barely passed as a proper Cantina. She wasn't sure even Han would have bothered stopping by it. It was crowded, dank, with a low-hanging ceiling. Even though they were inside, she felt like the fog from outside still lingered within. Tables were haphazardly put together from scrap metal, and the counter was little more than a long piece of plywood. Locals of every size and race took up seats, and while her outfit was nondescript enough, she suddenly felt too clean for this place.

She could feel the eyes on her as she headed straight for the bar keep, a portly honey skinned man who gave her a suspicious glare.

Well. It wasn't like she hadn't worked with mistrustful people before.

Sliding onto an open bar stool, she leveled a hard stare at the man. "Corellian Brandy. On the rocks." Han's favorite. She preferred something with a bit more elegance, but she didn't want to draw more attention than she already had. She doubted this place would even have what she liked.

The man ran a critical eye over her, then over Threepio, and snorted. "Have it yer way."

She settled in to watch, even as she strained to listen to the conversations around her. When the man slid her drink over, she nodded and took a long, deep gulp that wasn't completely for show. After everything she'd gone through, especially with Vader, she didn't mind some alcohol.

When she plunked it back on the counter, she pulled out the holodisk. "I'm looking for someone."

"Ain't seen no one." The man crossed his arms.

Her lips pressed together and she reached into her pocket, pulling out the credits for the drink...and a bit extra. Once she'd slid it over the counter and watched him recognize the additional credits, she turned on the holo of her disguised brother. "Seen him?"

The man had picked up the credits and was thoughtfully counting through them, frowning at the image. "Not one of my regulars."

"He wouldn't have been. He's a traveler."

His bushy brows furrowed...then he nodded. "Ah. Right. Boy came in a few weeks ago. Didn't finish his drink. Left without issue."

She couldn't help but let out the breath she hadn't realized she'd held as she switched the hologram off.

Finally.

"Did he mention where he was going?"

"Didn't say much. Didn't seem to enjoy himself, neither." He paused. "Looked a bit sick, I reckoned."

Which was either from the alcohol he'd apparently tried to stomach, or the lost weight. Maybe both.

"Do you mind if I ask others?" She would do it anyway, but it was polite to ask. Thankfully, the man nodded, already shrugging her off to move on with his day.

She finished her drink and turned to Threepio. "See? He was here."

"Goodness knows why."

Some things never changed.

"Come on. I'm going to need your help."

They began their rotation of interviews. Most life forms they approached spoke basic, but those who didn't Threepio covered. There were a few others who claimed to have seen him, but all had the same story as the bar keep. One commented on how young he looked, then stared hard at Leia and said, "Ya know, ya look just like 'im."

She made a noncommittal shrug, then turned to move on to the next table.

A man sat there, staring at her with narrowed, suspicious eyes. He was a normal human male, with a dark mustache and grimey hair. "You lookin for the Jedi?" He asked before she'd even opened her mouth.

She tensed, willing her face to remain neutral.

Whoever this was, he'd definitely seen Luke. He wasn't Rodian so...perhaps part of Black Sun?

"Who said I was looking for a Jedi?"

"That holo you're showin. I seen him. He got the same powers as them mystic Jedi."

There was an angry edge to his voice, and a bad feeling sank into the pit of her stomach. Something told her Luke and this particular pirate didn't end on good terms.

If Luke wasn't so injured, she would have dropped the conversation and left, but he was, and she didn't have time to ignore him. "What happened to him?"

He shrugged, his eyes never once leaving her face. "Dunno. Went missing, last I heard."

There was more to this story, but with every word the bad feeling grew worse.

"You look a bit like him. Anyone ever tell you that?"

"Can't say they have." Nevermind that someone had just said it not five minutes earlier. She should have given Luke black hair dye and green contacts. Or, simply, she shouldn't have let him go in the first place.

"You a Jedi, too?"

She didn't miss the way he narrowed his eyes on her. The blaster in her jacket felt heavier under his gaze.

"Not even close."

That, at least, was true.

The man snorted, shook his head, then stood. "Well. Hope you find what you're lookin' for." From his pocket he slapped a credit on the table, then turned and walked away.

The bad feeling didn't leave with him.

"I don't like the look of him," Threepio observed nervously. She didn't bother reassuring him.

"We should go." She needed to comm Vader. If she didn't leave now, something told her that wouldn't be the last she saw of him…

She forgot the feeling when a Rodian male stepped into the bar, head drooping as he made his way over to the counter.

Well, she decided, making her way for him, one more couldn't hurt.

"Hey." She smiled when she approached.

The Rodian flinched as if she'd threatened him. "What do you want?"

Her smile disappeared. "I'm looking for someone. Thought I'd ask if you'd seen him." She brought out the holo and turned it on. "Did you see this man?"

She held her breath, waiting as the Rodian took him in...then scowled. "Yeah. I know him. He tried to save my boy."

The tone suggested he'd done anything but that. But at least she'd finally found the Rodian. "What happened?"

The man sneered. "That Jedi offered himself up to save my son from slavery."

Leia blinked, sure she'd heard him wrong.

"He. Did. What?"

She'd known he had a soft heart, but surely he wouldn't do something so incredibly stupid-

"He tried to save my son from slavery by offering himself," he repeated hotly, but then his shoulders slumped. "It was all my fault. I didn't pay my debts. He was only trying to help...but then the pirates came back later. Said the Jedi escaped, and they took my son anyway."

Luke had offered himself up into slavery.

The idea was completely insane, and yet the more she digested it, the more she realized it was something he'd do. But the fact that he'd actually done it...she couldn't wrap her head around it. Not completely. Then the kid had been taken into slavery anyway…

This was the total opposite of vacation.

"The people who did this," she tried not to sound upset. It failed. "Was one of them a human male with a mustache?"

"Yeah. Rayner. He and his goons still hang around here." He glared at the door, and she assumed he'd seen the man as he was coming in. To not only have his son taken away, but to also have to see his kidnappers daily…

She could see why Luke had stepped in. Even if his methods were incredibly risky and stupid.

She turned off the holo. "I'm sorry for your loss." She meant it. One day, when the Empire was gone, they'd eradicate slavery completely. Maybe then she and Luke could truly reunite the boy with his family. "If there's anything I can do…?"

The Rodian turned away. "Your friend already did enough."

And as mad as she was at Luke for his stupid decision, she couldn't help but feel the need to comfort the man herself. But she knew it wouldn't do much good. Unless she could produce the man's son herself and get them off world before Black Sun could track them down again, there was nothing she could do.

Besides. She already had someone she was looking for. And while she still didn't know where he was, the picture of how they'd gotten to this point was a little clearer.

She was going to kill him when she found him.

Do you have to kill everyone we run into? Artoo beeped unhappily at him as he strangled the junk yard operator.

"I have justified reasons."

He needed to be discreet. It didn't help that his suit made that extremely difficult. So, anyone in his way, he simply killed. Therefore, there wouldn't be any rumors or speculation why Darth Vader was on Taris looking for a ship. Sure, he could have talked his way out of it with the Emperor…

But why do that if he didn't have to?

Had I known you were going to kill everyone we ran into on the way over here I wouldn't have told you where they moved Master Skywalker's ship.

"You better not have lied to me, droid."

If I did, all those lives would be in vain.

He resisted the urge to scoff. Ten lives. On most normal days, ten was a small number lost under his command.

That seemed to be changing though with his daughter around.

"You will not tell the princess of this."

You mean your daughter?

He gritted his teeth, moving deeper into the junk yard. "I don't appreciate you showing her my past."

His eyes scanned each ship, looking for the right model; a Corellian G-9 Rigger-Class light freighter. Ironic, considering he'd once used one frequently during the Clone Wars. It was likely just what Leia could produce, but...ironic, just the same.

She wouldn't have told you had I not. I saved her life. You're welcome.

He scowled, refusing to admit that the droid probably had a point there. He also didn't want to think about how close he'd come to killing his daughter...numerous times. "As I said. You will not tell her the specifics of our mission."

Or what, you'll deactivate me?

"I'm considering it." Though in all honesty, even as annoying as he was, the droid was still the most useful droid he'd ever owned. It would be a shame to have to start him over by wiping his memory.

Besides. He'd been a gift from her…

The thought stopped cold as he located Luke's ship.

"There." He pointed, and Artoo rolled over, inserting his data probe into the ship's port. Moments later, the ship opened it's hatch with a hiss, and Vader stepped in.

He didn't expect to find a clue to Luke's location, but he did expect to find more clues as to what had happened. Understanding the full picture would ultimately help him find him, and if Solo did his job, he could piece the clues together to find his location.

At least, that was the official reason for finding the ship. Alternatively, he was also interested in where Luke had spent his newfound solitude after his faked death. He still wanted to learn more about his son-information he likely wouldn't tell him verbally.

The ship was silent and almost empty. He approached the cockpit, turning on the computer systems, looking for any information on recent repairs, or other detours his son forgot to tell him about. Artoo rolled in, plugging into the terminal to download information.

They searched for some time. Most of it was old data from the previous owner, and he discarded those quickly. But then he found the log to Vrogas Vas, then the jump to coordinates he knew for a fact was just the middle of deep space. Nothing of interest…

But there was a recording.

You shouldn't be snooping through Master Luke's recordings, Artoo chided when he attempted to pull it up.

Vader glared down at him. "Are you keeping me from accessing it?"

Yes.

"It could be important."

It has the same signal as the one Princess Leia received. It contains no information on his current whereabouts.

"I don't care. I want it. Now."

Threepio would tell you it's rude to snoop.

"I'm not snooping-"

You are.

He growled in frustration. "I'll get that recording one way or another."

I know. It doesn't mean I have to make it easy for you.

If Artoo wasn't helpful or the previous property of his wife, he would have used him for lightsaber practice.

He stood. "Collect any other data you can. I'm investigating the rest of the ship." He didn't bother to wait for a response before storming out and into the living quarters.

The moment he entered, he was struck with the realization that he'd never been in a room Luke had personally lived in. Sure, he hadn't been there for long, but one look at it told Vader plenty of information he hadn't known about his son before.

First, he wasn't particularly tidy.

The living quarters weren't a mess by any stretch of the word. The floor was clear, but the bed was ruffled and unmade. A shirt was tossed on top of the sheets. An extra blaster lay on a night stand. The fresher was a bit messier, with the sink stained with hair dye, and some broken contacts still on the floor. Apparently, he'd had some trouble with them, suggesting he had no need for corrective vision enhancements.

He didn't fail to notice the used bacta patches and bloody bandages in the trash, either, reminding him that his son had actually been shot on the Ring of Kafrene.

His mood soured at that, and he had the urge to contact Leia right then to give her another lecture on the danger she'd put her brother in.

But...she knew that already. He could feel her guilt deepening with each passing day, as well as her longing to be reunited with him. She'd been doing everything she could to help him find Luke.

He still hated that it had happened in the first place, but grudgingly, he had to admit she was trying.

It was at that moment his comm pinged. He answered, and Leia's voice rang out through the cabin. "I found out how Luke ended up with the pirates."

"And?"

"You're not going to like it."

He rolled his eyes. "I don't like most things I'm told."

There was a hesitation. "He gave himself up to Black Sun to save a kid from slavery."

He stared at the comm, unsure he'd heard right, but Leia didn't take it back. And she was close enough that he could feel her barely restrained anger with her brother.

The mirror in the fresher cracked.

Of all the stupid, idiotic things he could have done, he'd willingly offered himself up as a slave?!

Memories flooded back, and he clenched his free fist as the mirror finished shattering. No son of his would ever be a slave. He would not allow it! How could Luke be so reckless and stupid?! Even Anakin Skywalker wouldn't have done something so idiotic!

"Vader?" Leia's voice pulled him out of his internal spiraling. "What did you break this time?"

"None of your concern," he hissed. "It seems I have much to teach him, including not offering himself up as a slave!"

"I'm going to have to agree with you there." A pause. "Did you find the ship?"

He focused on breathing to calm down. It only marginally worked. "Yes." Then, "Is the Rebellion so lax in their military regimen to allow such untidiness?"

"He didn't make the bed, did he?"

"That behavior wouldn't be accepted in the Imperial Fleet." Yet, even as he said it, he couldn't help but remember the many times Padme had chewed him out for the same thing.

Now he didn't need a bed to worry about it.

"Good thing he isn't an Imperial officer." There was an edge to her voice. A reminder of what Luke was-what she was. "Are you done? We're heading back to the shu-"

She never finished the sentence.

There was the sound of blaster fire, then a "Shit!" and the line went dead.

Ice flooded his veins. He pulled on their fledgling bond, frantically seeking answers.

The Force responded with sensations of danger, anger, fear…

And pain.

Leia!

He was moving before he'd thought to do so. "Artoo, get the engines going, now!" he shouted, heading into the cockpit.

What is it? What's wrong? Nevertheless, the droid followed orders; by the time he took the pilots seat, the flight sequence was ready to be performed.

"Danger," he snarled as he took off. It didn't feel any different than the Twilight had.

"Leia's in danger."

Her arm was numb.

But that didn't stop her from whirling around, pulling out her concealed blaster, and returning fire.

Unlike her assailants, she had better aim. She took out three before they ducked for cover.

"Your Highness!" Threepio wailed, waving his arms. "Your arm is bleeding!"

"Shut up and get back to the ship!"

The comm was broken on the ground, but she wasn't concerned about Vader finding her. She didn't understand everything about the Force, but if she did have a bond with him like he said, he'd find her. She'd need to give him room. The alley they were in was too narrow. Civilians were likely to get hurt if they stayed.

Thankfully, Threepio listened, though he cried, "How do we always get into this mess? Can't we have one normal afternoon?!"

Oh, wouldn't that be wonderful, she silently agreed as she covered his retreat with more fire, ducking when it was returned. She couldn't tell how many were left, but she had no doubt who they were.

Black Sun.

Rayner's thugs, probably.

Whenever she could, she darted between cover, shooting as she went. More dropped dead under her fire, but the onslaught didn't slow.

You must've really pissed this dude off, Luke, she'd say if he were there. Honestly, he and his lightsaber would have been nice to have at that moment. But he wasn't, and she'd have to make do until Vader arrived.

Sure enough, as they reached the port, she spotted the shuttle. "Make for the ship!" she shouted at Threepio when he turned to look for her.

He threw up his hands again, shouting, "Oh my!" and shuffling further into the port...where he quickly turned around when more blaster bolts came for him. "It's a trap!"

Shit.

She ducked behind metal crates, thoughts whirling to find a way out of this. They were surrounded, and she didn't know how long Vader would be, and her arm was starting to burn…

The unmistakable sound of powerful cannon fire made her duck instinctively, even as she heard screams then a boom. Even behind the crates she could feel the blistering heat; when it faded, her ears were ringing.

Carefully, she edged out from behind cover.

The shuttle they'd arrived on was on fire.

And the light freighter she'd given to Luke was landing in front of it, the hatch opening.

"Help!" Threepio wailed, blown over by the explosion. His legs and arms flailed about.

Then Vader appeared, cape swirling around his ankles, lightsaber ignited and blazing in his hand.

"Get. In," he snarled, reaching towards her…

And she heard people behind her start to scream-then abrupt silence.

She didn't need to be told twice.

She ran forward, ducking as more blasters were fired and froze in mid-air while she reached down, grabbed Threepio's arm, and tugged him to his feet. As soon as she and Threepio were out of range, the bolts were released, hitting where she'd been moments before.

"Thank goodness you're-AAAAH!" Threepio yelped as she shoved him into the ship and jumped in after him. As she did, the hatch to the ship began to close, Vader redirecting bolts back to their origin.

The moment the hatch closed, he turned off his saber and whirled on her. "You are injured."

He sounded angry as hell, and she could tell he was, but somehow she knew it wasn't at her. It was for her. Whatever it was that told her Vader's emotions, it was currently screaming his panic for her safety, his intense need to protect what was his…

"I'm fine. We need to get out of here." They were still shooting at the ship. It wouldn't do anything against the shields, but it was a pressing reminder that they were no longer unnoticed and anonymous.

Vader had blown his cover, to protect her.

She had to hope no one had recognized her.

But he didn't move, staring at her with that unreadable mask of his and she sighed, showing him the injury. "See? Nothing serious."

The air practically turned to ice. "You've been shot. That is hardly-"

"In the arm! We can treat it as soon as we're out of firing range!"

His mood plunged further, but this time he whirled and headed back to the cockpit. "Get the medkit and get in here!"

She rolled her eyes, exasperated, but did as she was told.

At least they were moving.

Leia was shot.

It was almost all he could focus on, even as he lifted the ship off and pushed it towards the upper atmosphere.

Leia was shot.

He shouldn't have let her go alone. Nevermind that she'd accomplished her goal: now she was hurt and he hadn't been there to stop it…

Leia entered the cockpit, taking up the copilot's seat. In her lap was the medkit, and she'd stripped the jacket off and rolled up her sleeve. Vader's grip tightened on the steering at the sight of the wound, bloody and exposing muscle…

"That isn't fine."

Hell, he could feel the pain it caused her as if it were his own.

"It's not horrible." He could hear the edge of pain in her voice.

She was right. It could have been worse, and he didn't think it hit an artery, but he didn't give a damn.

Leia was his daughter. No one touched her.

He was tempted to turn around and…

The ship rocked as they were shot from behind.

He stretched his senses out. Three enemy ships.

Too easy.

She'd pulled out bacta patches and was in the middle of wrapping the wound when he yanked back on the yoke, flipped the ship around, and as it stalled, fired, hitting one of the ships dead center.

He felt the spike of terror as the medical supplies slipped off Leia's lap and skidded across the floor. "What the hell?!" she shouted.

Still as crazy as ever, Artoo added even as he worked to adjust the ship's hydraulics to match what he pushed the ship to do. After all these years, the little droid still knew his preferences.

He didn't answer either of them as he took the ship into a sharp dive. Beside him, Leia had tugged on her seatbelt, the bacta patch forgotten as she gripped the seat rests in a death grip.

He sensed the other ship's fire, took the ship into a spin that had Leia gasping, then yanked up. "Focus on your injury!" he snapped, the ship still spinning.

"I'm focusing on not losing my lunch!"

Somewhere else in the ship, Threepio was screaming as he once more flipped the ship up and around, fired, and destroyed the second ship.

"I am doing nothing Luke hasn't done!" he hissed as he moved to pursue the final, fleeing ship.

It would not get away from him. Not after daring to threaten Leia's life.

"He never does it with me in the-shiiiiiiit!" The other fighter attempted a steep nose dive towards the planet's surface below, and he scoffed as he dove sharply after it in the middle of Leia's sentence.

She's right, you know. Luke doesn't try anything risky with her on board. You're scaring her.

"I am saving our lives!" he snapped back at her, at Artoo, even as the ground drew closer and closer…

He fired, and the last one blew up just above one of the skyscrapers. The light freighter wasn't quick enough to avoid the flaming debris, and he barely managed to pull it out of its spin before narrowly splattering against the skyscraper, but he managed. Artoo hadn't needed to be told to strengthen the shields as he did it.

With the pursuers gone, he resumed taking off for the upper atmosphere, ignoring the hails on the dashboard that was likely coming from the authorities.

"Get the jump ready," he ordered Artoo, before glancing at Leia.

Even with the red hue of his lens, he was sure she was pale. Again his mood darkened and he snapped, "Finish dressing that wound or I will! You're pale as a ghost."

Slowly, she turned her head to look at him in disbelief. "It's not because of this wound, I assure you."

Nevertheless, she began wrapping the wound again.

They exited the atmosphere, and the light on the dashboard flashed the ready signal.

"It would seem you did not inherit my piloting skills."

"You mean the reckless ones?! No!"

He rolled his eyes, then made the jump to hyperspace. "You will be examined by a med droid the moment we are back. Understood?"

"I told you, I'm-"

He turned in the seat to face her. "Understood?!"

Her mouth snapped shut and she leveled a dark glare at him, but she nodded.

It wasn't much reassurance, but… it would have to do for now. He doubted she'd appreciate him examining it himself, and neither Artoo nor Threepio were equipped to help with such wounds.

That didn't mean he didn't settle in to keep an eye on her, earning him another eye roll as she finished working on dressing her wound.

Rayner stared at one of his few survivors. "Darth Vader?" he breathed in disbelief. "Terra, you gotta be kidding me…"

Terra shook his head quickly. "No, sir. Saw it with my own eyes. Darth Vader came to that girl's rescue. He didn't even leave the ship and he killed over half our men, not to mention the three fighters we sent after them."

Rayner leaned back in his chair. He'd expected some trouble from the girl since she was clearly that damned Jedi's friend, but he hadn't expected Darth Vader to show up.

But...why?

He wasn't well versed in the news from the Civil War, but he was pretty sure Vader was supposed to be on a battlefield somewhere.

If Vader was involved...perhaps he was on the trail of the Jedi to kill him? Had they attacked one of his agents?

But...he frowned.

No.

That girl. She was familiar, too, and not just because she looked like that Jedi scum.

He stood. "We're leaving Taris."

Terra blinked. "Where are we going?"

If the girl was looking for the Jedi, and Vader was with her, that meant they believed the Jedi had survived the crash. And if he'd survived the crash…

"We're going back to Arorua."

Woot! And now Vader and Leia know just how reckless and irresponsible Luke was (is it irresponsible to try to save a kid? Maybe the method, idk). I LOVED writing this chapter. Having Vader freak Leia out with his flying was like one of the very first vivid scenes I had planned at the very start of this thing. Han and Luke can be crazy, but Vader's...I mean he's the original psycho in the skies XD
Stay safe out there everyone!
Songs for this chapter:
Han: Back in Black by ACDC
Vader's flight scene: What's Up Danger by Blackway and Black Caviar
Leave some love!
Love,
LadyVader23