Mon Mothma's ordering of all personnel to the landing bay was certainty
causing more than a little confusion. Luke was making his way down the
narrow corridor leading from his quarters at a pace he'd never before
managed without breaking into a run.
He could feel Vader's ship landing as clearly as he could feel the fear of his comrades.
He looked down at his attire in disgust. He'd meant to make the trip back to his room to change, but the warning he received from his father made him have second thoughts. He settled with simply clipping his lightsabre to his belt.
~
Vader proceeded down the ramp of his shuttle feeling more excitement than he had in twenty years. He had mulled over whether or not it was appropriate for a Sith Lord to have such emotions and finally decided that he didn't care.
It was HIS Will to feel such.
Upon reaching the bottom of the ramp he withdrew from his thoughts to survey the Rebel landing bay.
Was it appropriate for a Sith Lord to say "Jackpot?"
He felt the urge to laugh for the second time in as many minutes.
I must be going mad, he thought descending upon the terrified Rebels.
He stopped mid-stride at that thought.
Where the hell was their hero, anyway? He thought bitterly, scanning the bay for his son.
Fist clenched in annoyance he grabbed the closet Rebel by the collar of his dirty shirt.
It was Solo.
"Well, hello again." Solo said with a bitter lopsided smile.
Didn't Han ever know when to keep his mouth shut?
Vader almost dropped the smuggler at the thought, until his brain caught up with him- the thought was his son's.
Vader shoved Solo away without a word and turned to face the two large blast doors several meters in front of him just as they separated- admitting a very pissed off looking Luke Skywalker.
Perfect.
~
Luke drew a sharp breath as he progressed towards his father.
He breathed in the rhythm of his footfalls, his new boots made a sharp ring echo through the bay.
Hopefully Vader is feeling agreeable today, he thought, clenching his right fist.
I assure you, Son, I am. Vader replied in his thoughts.
Luke halted just out of the Dark Lord's physical reach.
"Lord Vader." Luke addressed his father with a respectful nod of his head.
Vader mimicked his gesture, "Skywalker."
Vader then made a slight sweeping gesture with his hand, "Shall we discuss conditions of surrender?"
The crowd surrounding the two shifted uncomfortably.
"Of course." Luke responded, feeling a nearly unbearable wave of fear and confusion emit from the mass.
"Good," Vader purred, and before he could say another word Luke cut him off.
"Leave, now."
Vader tilted his head slightly.
"You'll take no prisoners today, Lord Vader." Luke growled, pressing the tip of his newly constructed lightsabre against his own jaw.
The room fell deathly quiet, even the hiss of Vader's respirator ceased.
~
Vader felt his amiable mood shatter.
He could feel that his son was very serious. Dammit, Vader, get out of this one.
Keep it simple.
"I see you've constructed a new lightsabre."
His son didn't move, his thumb still rested upon the activation switch.
"Holding yourself hostage will not help your friends," Vader gently reminding his son, hoping not to push him over the edge.
A flash passed over Luke's eyes.
Excellent, Vader thought with a sneer.
"If you die, I assure you, they will not be rewarded with the quick death you propose to give yourself."
His son faltered fractionally.
Yes, he had struck the correct cord.
"Come with me," he coxed, "and we will leave them as they are, unharmed."
Luke's eyes caught the Princess's for a moment, before fixing upon his father once more.
Expertly twirling the hilt of his sabre, pressing its deadly end against his own wrist, he offered it to his father.
Vader took it, "You wouldn't have done it."
"You wouldn't have let me."
"You didn't really think you could have stayed with them, did you?"
Luke remained silent.
"It must be obvious to even yourself that the sins of the father will be exacted from the son ---by these Rebels."
Luke spared himself a glance at Mothma, it was true of course, he could feel her desire take out all of her hate for Vader on himself.
"I can't go with you," he whispered, "I cannot join the Empire."
"You also cannot remain with these Rebels who will have your blood the moment I am out of sight."
"But the Empire--" Luke's voice trembled.
"It isn't about sides in a civil war, Luke!" Vader roared. "It's about YOUR rightful place in the galaxy, and it is not here- it is at MY SIDE!"
Without thinking, Vader grabbed his son by his striking collar-bringing his blue eyes level to his own.
Luke looked like the child Vader never had the chance to hold.
They stayed like this for several moments, staring into the other's soul.
Just as suddenly as he'd been seized, Luke was released.
Vader simply turned away from him, striding back to his shuttle.
A wide-eyed Luke watched-
They will have your blood.
Your place.at my side.
Pressing his bloodless lips together, Luke made the decision that would seal his fate-
He stalked after his father, disappearing into the shuttle.
As the ramp rose, sealing him within, he heard Leia scream his name.
[I have to go to work- sorry I couldn't write more. Thanks so much for the reviews! They drove me to get this next chapter up ASAP. Please continue with them!]
He could feel Vader's ship landing as clearly as he could feel the fear of his comrades.
He looked down at his attire in disgust. He'd meant to make the trip back to his room to change, but the warning he received from his father made him have second thoughts. He settled with simply clipping his lightsabre to his belt.
~
Vader proceeded down the ramp of his shuttle feeling more excitement than he had in twenty years. He had mulled over whether or not it was appropriate for a Sith Lord to have such emotions and finally decided that he didn't care.
It was HIS Will to feel such.
Upon reaching the bottom of the ramp he withdrew from his thoughts to survey the Rebel landing bay.
Was it appropriate for a Sith Lord to say "Jackpot?"
He felt the urge to laugh for the second time in as many minutes.
I must be going mad, he thought descending upon the terrified Rebels.
He stopped mid-stride at that thought.
Where the hell was their hero, anyway? He thought bitterly, scanning the bay for his son.
Fist clenched in annoyance he grabbed the closet Rebel by the collar of his dirty shirt.
It was Solo.
"Well, hello again." Solo said with a bitter lopsided smile.
Didn't Han ever know when to keep his mouth shut?
Vader almost dropped the smuggler at the thought, until his brain caught up with him- the thought was his son's.
Vader shoved Solo away without a word and turned to face the two large blast doors several meters in front of him just as they separated- admitting a very pissed off looking Luke Skywalker.
Perfect.
~
Luke drew a sharp breath as he progressed towards his father.
He breathed in the rhythm of his footfalls, his new boots made a sharp ring echo through the bay.
Hopefully Vader is feeling agreeable today, he thought, clenching his right fist.
I assure you, Son, I am. Vader replied in his thoughts.
Luke halted just out of the Dark Lord's physical reach.
"Lord Vader." Luke addressed his father with a respectful nod of his head.
Vader mimicked his gesture, "Skywalker."
Vader then made a slight sweeping gesture with his hand, "Shall we discuss conditions of surrender?"
The crowd surrounding the two shifted uncomfortably.
"Of course." Luke responded, feeling a nearly unbearable wave of fear and confusion emit from the mass.
"Good," Vader purred, and before he could say another word Luke cut him off.
"Leave, now."
Vader tilted his head slightly.
"You'll take no prisoners today, Lord Vader." Luke growled, pressing the tip of his newly constructed lightsabre against his own jaw.
The room fell deathly quiet, even the hiss of Vader's respirator ceased.
~
Vader felt his amiable mood shatter.
He could feel that his son was very serious. Dammit, Vader, get out of this one.
Keep it simple.
"I see you've constructed a new lightsabre."
His son didn't move, his thumb still rested upon the activation switch.
"Holding yourself hostage will not help your friends," Vader gently reminding his son, hoping not to push him over the edge.
A flash passed over Luke's eyes.
Excellent, Vader thought with a sneer.
"If you die, I assure you, they will not be rewarded with the quick death you propose to give yourself."
His son faltered fractionally.
Yes, he had struck the correct cord.
"Come with me," he coxed, "and we will leave them as they are, unharmed."
Luke's eyes caught the Princess's for a moment, before fixing upon his father once more.
Expertly twirling the hilt of his sabre, pressing its deadly end against his own wrist, he offered it to his father.
Vader took it, "You wouldn't have done it."
"You wouldn't have let me."
"You didn't really think you could have stayed with them, did you?"
Luke remained silent.
"It must be obvious to even yourself that the sins of the father will be exacted from the son ---by these Rebels."
Luke spared himself a glance at Mothma, it was true of course, he could feel her desire take out all of her hate for Vader on himself.
"I can't go with you," he whispered, "I cannot join the Empire."
"You also cannot remain with these Rebels who will have your blood the moment I am out of sight."
"But the Empire--" Luke's voice trembled.
"It isn't about sides in a civil war, Luke!" Vader roared. "It's about YOUR rightful place in the galaxy, and it is not here- it is at MY SIDE!"
Without thinking, Vader grabbed his son by his striking collar-bringing his blue eyes level to his own.
Luke looked like the child Vader never had the chance to hold.
They stayed like this for several moments, staring into the other's soul.
Just as suddenly as he'd been seized, Luke was released.
Vader simply turned away from him, striding back to his shuttle.
A wide-eyed Luke watched-
They will have your blood.
Your place.at my side.
Pressing his bloodless lips together, Luke made the decision that would seal his fate-
He stalked after his father, disappearing into the shuttle.
As the ramp rose, sealing him within, he heard Leia scream his name.
[I have to go to work- sorry I couldn't write more. Thanks so much for the reviews! They drove me to get this next chapter up ASAP. Please continue with them!]
