Piett thought he wouldn't hear back again from Vader until he needed him to take a test. But early one morning as he rolled out of bed, he found a high priority message on his comm.

That could only mean one person.

Vader.

He answered it, expecting details on the next test assignment, only to frown at yet again, another unexpected twist in the holodrama his life had somehow become.

"Captain Piett." Lord Vader's image appeared. Even tiny, and as a recording, it seemed to fill the whole room. "I cannot take the boy's insistence that I be his friend. If it continues I may travel there myself to dispose of him."

Piett winced. It wouldn't surprise him of course, but the boy seemed harmless. He didn't deserve to die at the hands of Vader.

"So when you get this message, contact me immediately. I have identified a few candidates who may work as ideal friends for the boy. Then he will leave us alone and I will not have to kill him."

Well. It appeared he would be doing espionage of some sort after all. He just never imagined he'd spy on college students who had no impact on the overall safety and security of the Empire.

That was how, a few hours later, Piett was following around students that, he assumed, Vader knew from his class with said Dark Lord breathing in his ear.

He was tempted to ask how he'd even found enough information on these students to even be able to lead him to the right places. If he had to guess, it was either ISB or more of whatever Vader did to get himself enrolled in school. ISB seemed a bit overkill, but...well. He could never be sure with him.

One student lived on the edge of a waste zone. Even walking the street towards the apartment building, it looked run down. Piett instinctively ducked into shadows to avoid being seen, one hand on the blaster hidden in his jacket.

"What type of district is this?" Vader asked as he crossed a bridge. Beneath him was a bunch of oozing waste. The smell was enough to make him gag.

"This is a waste zone, my lord."

There was a silence, then, "This is not the right person to be Luke Lars' friend. I am sure of it."

Piett stopped in his tracks, frowning at the apartment building. "We have yet to even find this person-"

"Yes, but the boy will somehow find himself skipping into deadly waste, I'm sure of it. Why would anyone live here anyway?!"

"Well...it's probably affordable housing, and school is rather expensive-"

"That is an exaggeration, it is only fifty thousand credits a semester."

Only fifty thousand credits. He debated on explaining that such an amount was actually quite sizable for most people, but he doubted Lord Vader would care. "Alright. Then on to the next location."

The next few candidates were also apparently not good enough.

"No, she clearly has poor choice in friends." He said about a girl who spent most of her time shopping with her friends in the trade district.

"I see...pardon me, my lord, but they seem like normal college students, why-?"

"Because they are far too interested in material items."

He didn't understand how that was a bad thing, but it seemed wiser to drop it.

"He seems too rough for the boy." Vader said of another boy who they watched at a hoverboard park.

"Hoverboard is a common sport among most youths. Maybe Lars likes the sport?"

"The boy is not most youths. I highly doubt he enjoys such a thing."

Piett thought about asking Vader if he'd talked to Luke about his interests, but again. He figured it was safer to just go along with whatever he was told.

Finally, they trailed a quiet boy for a few hours. It was the longest they'd gone, and Vader said almost nothing the entire time as Piett followed him to the library where he studied, then to the market to get groceries. He seemed kind and polite to everyone who he passed, and frequently offered a smile to strangers.

"Him. He is the one." Vader finally said as they watched him hold a door open for an old woman. "Go talk to him."

Piett frowned. Blowing his cover seemed to be the opposite of espionage, but the boy was already walking away and he was moving before he could think better of it. "What's his name again?"

"Dash Harik."

Piett inwardly hoped Vader had a somewhat normal plan even as he called, "Hey, wait up Dash!"

"Wait up? That is a completely unacceptable way to greet someone-"

Dash stopped and turned, frowning as he approached. Already Piett could see recognition in his blue eyes, as well as wariness.

Piett felt a pit form in his stomach.

"Hi Firmus," Dash greeted. There was definitely forced politeness in his voice, and Piett tried to refrain from wincing in sympathy for whatever he was about to put this poor boy through.

"Ask him if he knows Luke."

"Hello Dash. It is good to see you."

"That is not what I said, he is merely convenient-"

"Do you by chance know Luke Lars?"

Dash raised an eyebrow. "Yeah. Sure."

"Good," he repeated as Vader fed him the response. Of course, it was not at all socially appropriate. "He and I will be meeting for drinks tomorrow night."

Did Luke know that? Had Vader checked to make sure he wasn't working a shift? Somehow, he thought the answer was no.

"You will join us." He finished, trying to project the confidence Vader used into his voice. He straightened up a bit, as if to give off the air of someone who should be listened to and respected.

Dash stared at him like he was crazy, but when he opened his mouth, he merely clarified, "Luke is going for drinks? With you?"

"Yes. Of course. It is a natural thing to do in college." Even as he said the words, he was suddenly certain Vader had done his studying of college student behavior from holovids.

"Well, sure, but…" He trailed off, frowning. "Luke's going to be there?"

"Yes, how many times must I tell you that?" He tried to copy Vader's rising annoyance.

Dash continued to frown at him. Then, he shrugged. "Sure. What cantina?"

"The Bloody Rancor."

Dash made another face. "And Luke... agreed to go there? Really?"

"Of course he did."

No. Of course he hadn't. But Piett couldn't explain the odd behavior of his superior officer to just anyone, even if he'd been given the freedom to do so. He simply couldn't.

But Dash didn't press it. "Alright, man. I guess I'll see you there."

Vader didn't understand why Luke's future friend had seemed so reluctant to join them. From what he could see the next night through Piett's hidden camera, The Bloody Rancor looked like the perfect place a college student would want to spend their time at. The only downside was that they played live music, and the decor was quite disreputable with inappropriate posters plastered to the walls. He had to direct Piett to go to their outdoor patio so he could communicate.

At least when he'd reached out to Luke, the boy had immediately (and enthusiastically, of course) accepted the invitation. As expected.

While Piett waited, Vader made use of his time by re-studying the information he'd gathered on Dash Harik. Most of the information he'd gleaned from slicing into the schools database, then into the boy's social holo accounts. Yes. He and Luke were about the same age, they had shared interests, and since they also shared classes, it was the perfect distraction for the boy. He could finally get some peace in class.

"Hey Firmus," Vader whipped back to the datapad with Piett's feed, watching as the man turned. There stood Luke. A glass was already in his hand, and Vader smirked knowing this was the perfect place to set the boy up with his new friend. All college students liked getting drunk, or so he'd read.

Now if only Dash would hurry up and get there. Perhaps Piett could duck out early and then he would be a forgotten fascination of the past.

"Hello Luke." He greeted, and Piett, thankfully, stuck to the script this time. He had not forgotten the atrocious greeting from the day before. They were lucky Dash hadn't backed out based on that alone.

Luke smiled, but for once, the gesture didn't seem to touch his eyes.

Instantly, Vader tensed. That was...odd.

"So." Luke said, taking up a seat across from Piett. "Is it just us?"

Vader frowned. He hadn't told Luke he was setting him up, but… "As a matter of fact, no. Someone else from our class will be joining us."

"Huh." Luke looked down at his glass. Vader wondered what he'd ordered. "Is it Dash? Because if it is, he's not coming."

Vader stared at the screen, hardly believing he'd heard him right. Then, when Luke didn't take the words back, he clenched his fists angrily.

"Why. Not?"

He should send Piett off to kill the boy. How dare he defy him?! Beyond defying a Sith Lord, it was plain rude to say he'd show up and then bail at the last moment, without even informing him! Now he was stuck alone with Luke, and-

"I told him not to come."

Vader clenched his teeth so hard, his jaw hurt. "Why?"

Luke's face was oddly expressionless. "I could ask you the same question. Why tell Dash we were hanging out at a cantina before even asking me?"

Vader...had no answer to that. When he didn't respond, Luke continued. "Dash told me about it immediately afterwards. I already knew by the time you asked, and I'd already told him not to come."

"Why?!"

"You still haven't answered why you asked Dash first and made it seem like I already knew about this."

He snarled, and he watched Piett lift his own glass and take a long drink. By the time he finished, Vader knew what he had to say. "It is obvious you do not have enough friends. I thought Dash would be an ideal candidate."

Luke blinked at him-then burst out laughing. "You were trying to set us up?"

"It is clear you need more friends." He did not mention how hard he'd worked to find the ideal candidate. He'd wasted precious hours to do so in the hopes that this would finally get the boy to leave him alone. He'd even taken multiple factors into consideration while doing so! And this was how he repaid him?!

"Oh, I have plenty of friends. Dash is my friend. That's why he thought it was weird you said we were going to a cantina." Luke leaned forward, and Vader swore there was an actual twinkle in his eyes. "Do you know what I ordered, Firmus?"

This...was a trick question. He was sure of it. "Do not answer that, Captain."

Piett did as he was told.

Luke shoved the drink over, and Piett moved so that Vader could also see the contents.

"...Is that... Milk?"

"It is." Luke pulled it back, then took a sip himself. "It's extremely rare that I drink. I don't like it. So if we were going to hang out, I wouldn't ever suggest going to a cantina, let alone one called The Bloody Rancor."

He was definitely beginning to develop a headache. "Then why are you so insistent that we be friends?" He spat the last word like it was a curse. Because it was. Nothing good ever came from such relationships.

"Why not? You are clearly competent and know what you are doing. I'd like to learn from you."

Well. He did enjoy working with him on that project, more than he'd ever admit aloud, but… "I am not here to make friends. I am here to be the top of our class."

"As am I. But that doesn't mean we have to be enemies."

Vader scowled. It was clear the boy was deluded. "You should focus on others, then. Not me. Piett, get up and storm out!"

Piett dutifully repeated the words, then the camera shifted as he moved to comply.

"If you say so." Luke didn't sound at all bothered, and as Piett stormed away, Vader heard the boy call out, "Next time let's meet somewhere we both would like!"

Vader stared at the screen, shaking his head. More and more the only way to get rid of the boy seemed to be death. And yet the thought of doing so felt...wrong, somehow. It was rare that he felt that way about killing anyone, but there was something about the boy…

When Piett had left the tavern, Vader snapped, "Avoid that boy at all costs. It is apparent that he will not give up on his foolish quest." Then he paused, and added incredulously, "He already has friends? Then why does he insist on being friends with us?!"

"Maybe it's just as he said, my lord. He respects your professional opinion."

"I respect Grand Moff Tarkin's professional opinion but that does not mean I throw myself at him in an attempt to be friends." He shook his head. "Just stay away from him!"

But even as he cut the connection, he knew that order would be impossible. Luke was far too interested in him.

And if he was honest with himself, he found himself just as intrigued.

I don't know if I'd enjoy Vader picking my friends out either, but at least he was spot on in this case? Even if he didn't already know it?
Also! Tumblr user Spacedaaadddd made a beautiful fan art of Barista Luke and I LOVE IT! Fanfiction dot net hates links, so I can't share it here...but I loved it!
Leave some love!
Love,
LadyVader23