Well, I would apologize about the long break...but here we are!
I am planning on turning "Off Guard" into a series of...well, I'll call them related one shots for now. But I am making no promises as to how often I'll update. I also have a couple other AU stories for Star Wars I am working on right now, so hopefully I'll be updating a bit more regularly!
I will be changing the rating, and will forewarn...darker thoughts...in this scene from the last chapter. I also made some small revisions to the last chapter to make the scenes come together better.
"My father is dead."
It was a stupid thing to say to the demented Sith Lord claiming to be said father, but the words came out of Luke's mouth before his common sense could catch up. With his back still pressed against the wall of his ship, it did not seem like a good idea to be trying to break the delusions of the man holding him there, but there was no taking it back now.
"No. I was unaware of your existence – I thought you to be dead with your mother. That is why I had not come for you before."
A warning alarm bleeped once on his computer, Luke glancing over quickly. The security cameras outside his ship exposed the brigade of Stormtroopers surrounding them. Eyes widening, Luke wondered if he could will Artoo into activating his distress signal. If he was lucky, Han or Chewbacca or someone in the rebellion might be able to come to his aide.
"Remain calm. You shall not be harmed," Vader spoke as if trying to be soothing, Luke easily brushing aside the tendril of Force reaching out as if to placate him.
Even if Artoo did get out a signal, not even the entire rebellion together had the sheer strength to go up against the Imperial Navy head on. It would be suicide for anyone who tried, and Luke had enough blood on his hands for what he felt must be several lifetimes.
There was no way out, no way of escape, and no one to rescue him. This was the life he chose when he became Shadow, and an eventuality that he had considered many times (especially after the various encounters with a Sith Lord seemingly obsessed with him). Luke, however, was never one to go down without a fight. Before the dark lord could react, Luke whipped out a blaster pistol, placing the barrel against his temple.
For a moment, Vader jumped, hands reached out as if to stop him, before the man stood entirely still. "Luke...think about what you are doing."
"I won't be a pawn in this game any longer – I'm the reason so many of my friends have died, aren't I? If it wasn't for me, you wouldn't have torn the galaxy apart...I won't help you tear it apart any further."
More then once Luke had considered this end. In the darkest hours of the night, he wondered if one day he would be pushed to this, and from the deeper recesses of his mind, if it was the best answer in the end. Many a nights he had pondered if he was more a hindrance to the rebellion with the attention of a Sith lord trained on him than any help.
"And would you let your friends' sacrifice be in vain, child?" Vader did not move a muscle, his eyes glued to the pistol.
"They weren't fighting for me! They were fighting for freedom!"
Anger rose sharply from his father, Luke for a moment losing his nerve, his finger coming slightly off the trigger. It was all the hesitation Vader needed to grab the pistol from him with the Force. Stalking forward before Luke could try again, he grabbed both of Luke's hands. "You won't have a choice, my son. Your destiny is by my side – whether you like it or not."
The ship shuddered as boots marched their way onto the ship, Luke succeeding only in spraining his wrist as he attempted to twist out of Vader's grip. Before Luke could blink, a set of binders were set roughly on his wrists, two troopers grabbing him on either side, with two in front and behind.
"Take him aboard the Executor, to my personal wing."
"No!" Luke shouted, trying to use his body weight to force his way out of the hands of the men holding him by dropping to the floor, only to be roughly pulled upright.
A cold hand, despite the fact it was gloved, grabbed his chin, forcing his eyes up. "Oh, child. You and I will be unstoppable."
Before Luke could snarl out the next insult, he felt inexplicably drowsy, feeling as though he were swaying on his feet. Too late, he realized it was a furtive tendril of the Force sent from the dark lord that could have easily been batted aside had he noticed it earlier.
"No..." he moaned out one last time, the last sensation he had of his knees giving out from under him.
There was no control over his wandering dreams, his mind feeling for the longest time as though he were floating through space. Finally it settled on a memory he had mulled over many a time through his years as Shadow. Quickly, he was pulled in, as if it were that very day instead of two years in the future.
Staring out over the seas of green fields, Luke settled back as he sat observing the world. Rarely did he return to Naboo for any reason, but disrupting the supply distribution center for the Empire seemed a good enough reason. Once upon a time, his Aunt would have sat beside him in this very field and they would have talked. Could it truly have been less then two years ago she could have sat beside him, and now there was simply a gravestone to stare at.
A pang of sorrow and regret filled his heart at her tender memory. There would never be enough time to heal the wounds from her loss, her voice still haunting the edges of his mind, laughing, singing, crying, screaming...
"This world is a double edged sword, is it not?"
Flinching, Luke did not realize that someone had wandered up behind him. When the rasping hiss of the respirator met his ears and his eyes took in the black suit of exactly who had wandered up behind him, he nearly jumped out of his skin.
"Lord Vader!" the cry was torn from his lips, Luke glad he had decided to leave his hood in place.
"I see my reputation proceeds me. What is it you were watching, young one?"
Every rumor, myth, or legend of Sith lords ran through his skull at once. None of them covered "having a curiosity". Only one reason came to mind as to why Darth Vader was seeking him out: he knew Luke had something to do with the very recently destroyed distribution depot.
Settling back down, he tried to ignore the sudden panic when Vader sat beside him. "I was just...enjoying."
"Yes...enjoying. It would be much more enjoyable for me if I was not here to investigate the recent destruction of one of the Empire's supply depots."
Luke remained deathly quiet. The security cameras had been disabled, Artoo had made sure of that and Artoo rarely made mistakes. No one had seen him sneak in or out; he always knew when he had been spotted.
Nearly always, in any case, as he was reminded when Vader filled the silence.
"Naboo is lovely, but it holds a daunting past, does it not?" Vader spoke nearly in riddles, Luke unsettled by how close to the mark he was hitting, intentionally or not.
"My Aunt used to come have picnics with me out here." Best to play it like he had no idea what Vader was talking about.
Vader turned to study him now. "Your Aunt?"
"She died." At the hands of Stormtroopers claiming to be leading out your mission. But Luke was not foolish enough to speak the second half out loud.
Humming, Vader turned away once more. "This was once a place I considered almost a second home, you know."
"Why?" Why are you telling me this? That was what Luke really wanted to ask, but he also wanted to keep his head on top of his shoulders.
"Because someone I loved belonged here."
Luke was not sure if he was brave enough to ask why the dark lord said it all past tense instead of in the present. Gray clouds were growing out along the horizon, the bird song filtering through the background beginning to dim down.
"Yes. This place is a double edged sword," Luke finally agreed.
"So, young Shadow, what brings you to study the fine line between beauty and chaos?"
Luke frowned. "I see my reputation proceeds me as well."
Vader laughed, which came across crackling and broken. It was unsettling. "Yes, I suppose it does. I was surprised to sense your presence here. Or perhaps I should say, I was surprised to sense your presence still here when I arrived."
"How do you know who I am?"
"A young man seemingly on a mission to better the galaxy on his own? When one is successful, it draws a certain attention."
Clearing his throat, Luke could not tell what Vader was getting at. "I am...glad you see it that way. Although I would prefer to remain unnamed."
"A rare quality in one so young. A rare quality indeed. Tell me, young one, have you ever heard of the Force?"
"The Force?"
"It is all around us, child. It is in everything that we do, and for those of us that can control it, it makes us very powerful indeed."
That didn't seem right. If something could grant such power, why would it agree to be controlled? Luke's gut told him there must be a heavy price to pay for power that promised so much.
Vader went on, oblivious to Luke's apprehension. "I could train you, teach you ways to make you stronger."
Shaking his head slowly, Luke stood. "I don't need to be stronger. I am fine the way I am."
"Everyone needs to be stronger, child."
Growling, Luke lurched to his feet, moving away from the darkness that was trying to wrap around him. Vader seemed to find something in his motion amusing, but he allowed it, the darkness receding back.
Luke would have growled again – it seemed physical movement had nothing to do with the dark fingers that wanted to close around him, despite it feeling like a very physical move.
"Well, if you have no further need of me, I have places to be...my Lord." You know, places to be, Sith Lord's to hide from. Once again, not quite brave enough to say it out loud.
For a moment, the darkness deepened before relaxing again; clearly the dark lord was struggling with emotions he felt needed to be reigned in. In the distance, the first crack of lightening could be seen, thunder rumbling quickly after.
"Very well, child. You may escape your destiny this time. But we will meet again." Soon hung heavily in the air even if it was not spoken.
If you can find me again. Luke turned and bolted back towards the town, hoping to lose Vader before returning to his ship. Amusement trailed after him, wrapping around him like a cloak of cold, a shiver running down his spine.
"Oh, and child?"
Luke paused, glancing over his shoulder.
"If you do happen to know how one of the major supply depots on this planet blew up, be certain that I will not allow it to happen again, here or anywhere else."
"I don't know what you are talking about, my Lord."
Once again, deep amusement followed after. It wasn't until later, safely tucked away into his ship, that Luke realized the reason it felt different was this time it felt sinister.
Gasping, it was a long moment before Luke remembered he was no longer on Naboo nor was he waking alone on his little ship. The room he had woke up in was nice by any standards Luke would have, the memory of their first meeting still lingering heavily in the front of his mind. Looking around the room, he tried to ground himself. A bed, a desk, a wardrobe full of clothes. If his standard of family was being provided for, Darth Vader had being a father covered.
Shaking his head, Luke almost laughed. A father? Darth Vader? That was a word he never thought he'd use to describe the man.
For what felt like the first time ever, Luke noticed as Darth Vader approached, clearly having realized that Luke was now awake. Entering the room with crisp steps, Luke caught a glimpse of the guards standing outside the door before the dark mass was fully through and the doors slid shut.
"Where is my ship? Where have you taken me?" Luke demanded, scrambling to his feet. It was not until his bare feet touched the cold floor that he realized his boots and cloak had been removed. "Where is my cloak?"
A wave of weariness came across towards him. "Calm yourself, young one. We have much to discuss. Come."
Using whatever it was Vader called the Force, his boots were revealed, but his cloak remained hidden. After replacing his boots on his feet, he hesitantly fell in behind the dark Lord, the guards sandwiching him from behind as they walked through the door and headed towards what Luke was certain Darth Vader would call his "destiny". In that moment, there were many things Luke was certain about: he was certain he did not want to find out what a Sith Lord considered a destiny, but it most certainly involved the Force. The darkness that currently seemed to be trying to feed off his very being was certainly very dire.
Yes, Luke was quite certain that this time, he was in far more trouble than ever before, and this time, there was no clear way out.