[In all honesty- this was suppose to be a one-hit-fic. I planned on
posting it for your enjoyment and then let that be the end of it- BUT-
well, I've been asked nicely and a muse has whispered into my ear (i.e. my
brain started ticking on this story again) and so—here it is, by request,
Chapter 2]
The soft thud of the lightsabre hilt upon the durasteel floor reset the rhythm of its maker's heart. It's intense mechanical thud faltered and in that moment was replaced--- by that of a father. Looking into the eyes of his son he saw a similar change there- from vengeful orphan---
To a son.
His son.
Vader extended his right hand towards the youth again- this time weaponless- taking the boy's cheek gently into his palm.
"Luke!"
Blue eyes blinked.
Luke pulled out of his stupor and looked at Leia – watching in horror from the ramp of the Falcon.
He stepped away from his newly found father.
The spell was broken.
Luke moved to run just as Vader sprung on him- catching him in a firm grasp.
Leia screamed to him as he was pressed against Vader's chest- he struggled violently- and then hung in the Dark Lord's arms, looking at Leia desperately.
The princess moved down the ramp- ready to go after him- when he called out,
"No! Leia go! Go!"
She locked eyes with him one final time and then fled into the ship. Moments later the Falcon was safely away. Luke breathed a sigh in his relief-- a relief that was short lived as Vader roughly grabbed him by the arm and dragged him off.
~
Leia stared blankly at the wall as the Alliance pilots were debriefed on their impossible mission.
Luke.
She didn't even know him- and somehow she felt connected to him. She shook her head- she was going crazy. Maybe it was the after effects of her interrogation on the Death Star-
The Death Star- it was fast approaching—and Luke was on it.
She blinked and brought her attention back to the debriefing.
"----Two meters wide."
The room erupted in astonished murmurs.
"Two meters!" she heard a dark-haired pilot near her exclaim, "Only guy I know who can hit a target that small is Luke Skywalker—"
Leia turned – wide-eyed- and addressed the pilot, "What did you just say?"
The pilot swallowed uncomfortably, "That target is impossible—"
"No. The name."
"Luke Skywalker?"
"Yes! You know him?"
He nodded and frowned, "I grew up with him, Your Highness." The pilot finally remembered to address her properly as the shock wore out. He tilted his head in question, "You know him, Your Highness?"
She nodded, "He rescued me, and recovered the Death Star plans for us."
His eyes widened in disbelief- both were utterly unaware of their audience.
"He got off Tatooine? How? Where is he?"
"He left Tatooine with Obi-Wan Kenobi-- he's now on the Death Star."
"WHAT?"
Leia flinched in guilt, "Vader captured him."
The pilot looked away in apparent anguish, "What would Vader want with a kid from Tatooine?" his whispering voice trailed off.
Another pilot grabbed the first by the shoulder, "Biggs?"
"Why didn't I see this before? No wonder Lars wouldn't let him go to the Academy—"
"Biggs! What are you talking about?"
Darklighter's eyes rose to meet Leia's, "Luke is strong in the Force--- he always tried to hide it, but we knew-"
Leia's eyes widened, "That's why Vader wouldn't kill him---"
"Or let him go," Leia turned as she heard the familiar voice of the smuggler from the doorway. "Kenobi was protecting the kid- I think we need to find out why."
~
Luke looked down at the fourth moon of Yavin solemnly. He could feel his father press against his back as he made his proposition.
"Serve the Empire and they shall be spared."
Vader saw Tarkin look at him in startled disproval, "Vader, the Emperor will not tolerate this--"
Vader turned slowly, aware of his son's eyes following him, "For this boy's loyalty, I believe our Emperor will posses infinite patience."
Luke merely stared down at the small moon, feeling the weight of the galaxy upon his shoulders.
The soft thud of the lightsabre hilt upon the durasteel floor reset the rhythm of its maker's heart. It's intense mechanical thud faltered and in that moment was replaced--- by that of a father. Looking into the eyes of his son he saw a similar change there- from vengeful orphan---
To a son.
His son.
Vader extended his right hand towards the youth again- this time weaponless- taking the boy's cheek gently into his palm.
"Luke!"
Blue eyes blinked.
Luke pulled out of his stupor and looked at Leia – watching in horror from the ramp of the Falcon.
He stepped away from his newly found father.
The spell was broken.
Luke moved to run just as Vader sprung on him- catching him in a firm grasp.
Leia screamed to him as he was pressed against Vader's chest- he struggled violently- and then hung in the Dark Lord's arms, looking at Leia desperately.
The princess moved down the ramp- ready to go after him- when he called out,
"No! Leia go! Go!"
She locked eyes with him one final time and then fled into the ship. Moments later the Falcon was safely away. Luke breathed a sigh in his relief-- a relief that was short lived as Vader roughly grabbed him by the arm and dragged him off.
~
Leia stared blankly at the wall as the Alliance pilots were debriefed on their impossible mission.
Luke.
She didn't even know him- and somehow she felt connected to him. She shook her head- she was going crazy. Maybe it was the after effects of her interrogation on the Death Star-
The Death Star- it was fast approaching—and Luke was on it.
She blinked and brought her attention back to the debriefing.
"----Two meters wide."
The room erupted in astonished murmurs.
"Two meters!" she heard a dark-haired pilot near her exclaim, "Only guy I know who can hit a target that small is Luke Skywalker—"
Leia turned – wide-eyed- and addressed the pilot, "What did you just say?"
The pilot swallowed uncomfortably, "That target is impossible—"
"No. The name."
"Luke Skywalker?"
"Yes! You know him?"
He nodded and frowned, "I grew up with him, Your Highness." The pilot finally remembered to address her properly as the shock wore out. He tilted his head in question, "You know him, Your Highness?"
She nodded, "He rescued me, and recovered the Death Star plans for us."
His eyes widened in disbelief- both were utterly unaware of their audience.
"He got off Tatooine? How? Where is he?"
"He left Tatooine with Obi-Wan Kenobi-- he's now on the Death Star."
"WHAT?"
Leia flinched in guilt, "Vader captured him."
The pilot looked away in apparent anguish, "What would Vader want with a kid from Tatooine?" his whispering voice trailed off.
Another pilot grabbed the first by the shoulder, "Biggs?"
"Why didn't I see this before? No wonder Lars wouldn't let him go to the Academy—"
"Biggs! What are you talking about?"
Darklighter's eyes rose to meet Leia's, "Luke is strong in the Force--- he always tried to hide it, but we knew-"
Leia's eyes widened, "That's why Vader wouldn't kill him---"
"Or let him go," Leia turned as she heard the familiar voice of the smuggler from the doorway. "Kenobi was protecting the kid- I think we need to find out why."
~
Luke looked down at the fourth moon of Yavin solemnly. He could feel his father press against his back as he made his proposition.
"Serve the Empire and they shall be spared."
Vader saw Tarkin look at him in startled disproval, "Vader, the Emperor will not tolerate this--"
Vader turned slowly, aware of his son's eyes following him, "For this boy's loyalty, I believe our Emperor will posses infinite patience."
Luke merely stared down at the small moon, feeling the weight of the galaxy upon his shoulders.
