His Keeper

"Unbelievable, this is just unbelievable," Captain Han Solo ranted, "how is it possible that we could have this many incompetent boobs sent to us from the academy?"

Han Solo was not a man quick to anger, usually, but the activities he'd seen in his duties as captain on the Empire's star destroyer fleet, had pushed his blood well past the boiling point. He'd been ranting and raving for almost half an hour already and was getting a headache, and before he was done he was liable to work himself up into a stroke, but that fact eluded him.

The other man in the room whom was on the receiving end of Solo's tirade was Captain Needa, also a member of the fleet. He was a reserved man who maintained a calm composure as he told the Corellian, who had been a member of the fleet for six months and still felt that he had to claw his way to the top to prove himself to everyone else, "I know you're used to doing things your own way, working alone, but in this fleet there's a protocol to follow."

"Yeah well that protocol needs to be obliterated if it's allowing this many factory rejects to actually make it into the Imperial Navy, let alone be sent here to us," Han Solo replied. "It's no wonder we're getting our afterburners kicked by Rebel ships, these morons they're sending us would get captured by a pack of ewoks the first time they were out there on their own!"

As Han Solo carried on, a third man entered the room, their superior officer, Admiral Piett, who despite being in charge, looked hesitant about what he came there to say. "Captain Solo."

Han ignored the man, or just didn't hear him, as he continued. "Needa, what the hell is going on out there? Is there something in the water? Something in the air supply? Something that could possibly explain how we keep getting all these idiots sent to us, who apparently passed the flight academy through no apparent merit?"

"Captain Solo," Piett tried again.

Han poked Needa in the chest and told him, "I ought to put in for a furlough and go down to that academy and find out just what the hell they're doing. Hell, I might as well just turn in my stripes now and take over as the head instructor. And while we're at it we might as well round up all those instructors they got down there, line them up against a wall and blast them all. The product they're churning out should count as war crimes, against us! What the hell did they do, put a bunch of Storm Troopers through flight training?"

"You're not going to get anywhere fighting with me on the subject," Needa pointed out.

Han knew it, but he had to take his frustration out on somebody and he knew better than to unload on his superior. He continued anyway, "I taught myself how to fly and that's why I'm the best at what I do, that's how I got to be the youngest captain in the Imperial Navy, that's why I'm a member of this fleet now, the only way this military is going to survive is if I hang up my hat here and make it my personal duty to teach the next generation of fighter pilots. That's going to be the only way we get anything better than these young morons who are liable to wet themselves the first time they come under enemy fire."

"Captain Solo," Piett persisted, a bit more forcefully this time.

Han turned to his superior and paying no attention to the difference in rank, practically howled in the admiral's face, "What is it, Piett?"

The admiral was ever professional and stonefaced as he answered, "Lord Vader commands you make contact with him."

All the fight and fury quickly drained from Han Solo as the features of his face took on a slightly grim expression. He half murmured under his breath, "This can't be good." More coherently he told Piett, "While I'm gone, I want you to tear those recruits a new one for being allowed to live this long despite being so terminally stupid." He was halfway out the door, he called behind him, his back muffling his words slightly, "And while you're at it, get on a comm to the flight academy and tell them if they don't start raising their standards, I'm personally sending them a dinko bomb, immediately."


In the Imperial Navy there was a proper protocol for practically everything, including and most importantly how to address the Empire's enforcer, Darth Vader, and anybody who wished to stay alive followed that protocol. Han Solo, however, had managed to keep his neck despite near-total disregard for that protocol. He folded his arms under him and leaned on the table as he looked at the dark lord's holographic image in the consultation room.

"You wanted to see me, sir?" he asked as civilly as he could manage.

It went without saying that Darth Vader was a threatening figure to behold, even in holograph form. However Han Solo had proven himself immune to this intimidation long ago.

The figure in black looked at the captain and answered in his deep modulated voice, around the mechanized breathing of his respirator, "Not so much as the real issue that you're needed here."

Han unfolded his arms and straightened his spine. What? They needed him there? At the Imperial palace? Why? He knew Darth Vader had a slew of security swarming that place, surely they didn't need him for guard detail.

"What's wrong?" he inquired.

"It's Luke," Darth Vader answered.

No further explanation was necessary.

"I'm on my way," Han said as he moved to disconnect the call.

He left the consult room and encountered Piett halfway down the hallway.

"Duty calls, Piett," he said as if the man were his equal, "I'm needed at the palace, you'll have to call in a replacement for me."

"Very well, Captain Solo," Piett answered. "Are you permitted to speak on the matter of the call?"

"Oh you know how it is, if I told you I'd have to blast you," Han answered nonchalantly.

"Understood, I wish you good luck."

"Thanks, I'm probably going to need it."


Han hopped over the side of his parked speeder and went up to the towering figure in black who awaited his arrival outside the palace.

"I came as soon as I could," he explained as he walked up to the dark lord, "What's wrong with Luke?"

"I'm hoping you can figure that out," Darth Vader said as he turned and headed to the palace entrance. "He has been asking for you."

Han stopped in his tracks for a second, then ran to catch up with Vader, "He...asked for me?"

"That is an understatement," Vader told him as they entered the palace and went up the stairs, "He has been inconsolable for the last two days and refuses to go to sleep, he dismantled a med bay droid when it tried to administer him a sedative."

None of that sounded good, but Han was confused. "What's going on?"

"I can guess," Vader answered simply, he turned to face the captain and added, "But he won't tell me. You're the only one he's willing to talk to."

Han wasn't sure what good that was going to do, he also wasn't sure he wouldn't make whatever the situation was worse than it already was. Tact had never been his forte.

"I'll do what I can, but it might not be pretty, if you hear any crying coming out of the room-"

"I've heard it for two days already," Vader told him, "I would suggest trying something that actually works."

Han rolled his eyes, that didn't leave him with a lot of options.

"Well...I'm not sure what I can do, but I'll give it a shot," Han told the dark lord.

They reached the top of the stairs and Han looked down the hall to Luke's room, and looked back to the dark lord, as if wordlessly seeking permission. There was never any way to tell what expression the dark lord was making behind his mask and his red tinted lenses, but Han had a suspicion whatever the other man was doing, he had the go-ahead.

Han took a few steps down the hall and came to the room he knew was Luke's, the door was already open. The lights were on, and when he stuck his head in the room, he saw Luke sitting against the headboard of his bed looking upset over something.

The captain knocked on the doorframe and got out, confused and not knowing what to say, "Luke?"

The younger man raised his head and saw the other man. In that split second Han was able to see tears in Luke's eyes and his face was stained pink from already crying. What was going on?

"Han!"

Immediately Luke jumped to his feet and charged at the Corellian and threw his arms around him, practically knocking the air out of the older man.

"Whoa! Hey," Han put his arms around the younger man, felt him trembling, felt the sobs running through him. "Hey, talk to me, Luke, what is it? What's wrong?"

A wordless exclamation made its way past Luke's lips as he pressed his head against Han's shoulder and held to him tightly.

"Kid, it can't be as bad as all that," Han tried to be reassuring though he still had no idea what was going on. Surely whatever it was wasn't anything more than his father could handle. The pull Darth Vader had in this galaxy was tantamount to practically none. Luke couldn't possibly have gotten himself into any trouble his father couldn't get him out of.

A choked sob escaped next as Luke pressed his face against Han's neck and the Corellian was just barely able to make out the words, "You died, you died!"

Now things were starting to make sense...maybe...

"Oh," Han said in realization, "you've been having nightmares again."

Luke squeezed him even tighter and Han made a choking sound as he thought the kid was going to snap his spine in two.

"Okay...okay," Han tried walking Luke over to his bed and got them both sat down on the edge of it, "Now calm down, and start from the beginning."

Darth Vader stood outside his son's room and looked in at the two young men who were very physically, intimately close, and he knew this was a private matter he had no business intruding on. He backed away and left the two of them to sort this out for themselves.

The dark lord made his way downstairs and tried not to think about what was going on up there, whatever it was, these two had to work it out for themselves. Even if he'd wanted to eavesdrop through the Force, Luke had been shielding himself too much for that to even be worth trying, and there was no point trying to eavesdrop on someone who wasn't Force sensitive like Solo.

Luke had been on his case to join the flight academy since he was 16. His father had been adamant he could enroll when he was old enough to be on his own. Luke had tried again at 17, begging his father to let him join. Darth Vader had still refused, but he'd agreed to take Luke down and let him see the place and meet the instructors, get a little idea what he'd actually be in for next year when he joined.

Han Solo was already an established captain in the Imperial Navy and that day he'd been acting as interim instructor while the academy had to find a permanent replacement for one who had retired. There was a certain quality he possessed not being much older than the young men enrolling. As soon as he and Luke had met, Vader had been able to feel something between the two of them. He'd gotten to know the young man, familiarized himself with Solo's service record, and arranged for him to join the star destroyer fleet. Han Solo had made navy history by becoming the youngest captain in the history of the organization. He was old enough and accomplished enough now he should've been promoted in rank. Vader had spoken to the Corellian about the subject, and Han had explained he was comfortable where he was and didn't want any of the hierarchy headaches that ensued with increasing rank. He was blunt, honest, he shot from the hip, he told it like it was and he took his chances it'd get his face bashed in, determined to hold his own no matter what. Vader admired all those qualities, and made it known he wanted this man in the fleet.

He'd thought keeping Solo close to the proverbial home would be a good influence on Luke, and while the idea didn't actually blow up in his face, it still seemed to have an adverse and unforeseen effect. In no time at all Luke was beyond simply infatuated with the captain, it was obvious though not apparent just why at the time, that Luke needed the Corellian in his life. Every time Solo stopped at the palace to bring Vader up to date on the reports from the fleet of their patrols, Luke practically hung on every word and likewise practically clung to the captain during his stay. At first Solo was oblivious to the effect he unintentionally had on Luke, but in time it was obvious there was something strong between both of them, and all of which had been realized by Vader before either of the younger men did. In the weeks that followed, the two of them grew impossibly closer, neither of them said anything to Vader, but that was irrelevant, he knew, he especially knew the times that Solo had a day off from the fleet and he wound up staying the night with Luke in his bedroom. The first time hadn't been intentional, it had just happened, when they realized Vader wasn't going to snap Captain Solo's neck for it, they took it as a go-ahead to happen again the next time he was on leave. The chance meeting at the academy had put the wheels of something much bigger in motion, and it was all starting to unfold. The few times Vader was able to get Solo alone at the palace without Luke joining them, he spoke with the man and learned much about the Corellian's past that wasn't in his military record, and his life in general. Instead of clearing things up, it had only made the situation with Han and Luke more complicated, but Vader realized now he couldn't separate the two of them for anything. Luke needed him, more to the point, they needed each other, it was an indisputable fact as much as they both needed air, they needed one another. It especially put Vader in an awkward position, but he was willing to do whatever was in his power to make the relationship between these two work.


Two hours later Han and Luke lay on his bed still in each other's arms. Neither of them had said anything for a while, they mainly just looked at each other, so many thoughts running through both their heads that neither would admit to the other about. Han pulled his hands loose from Luke's grasp and brushed his thumbs over Luke's cheeks. The 17-year-old had stopped crying a while ago, but he looked one step from starting again, and that was the last thing the captain wanted. He wasn't going to be able to leave until he knew Luke was alright.

"Look, Luke, you don't have to worry about me," he said, finally breaking the silence, "I'm fine."

"But I saw it!" Luke insisted, the worry still heavy in his voice.

"It was just a nightmare, kid, it doesn't mean anything," Han tried to assure him.

"Promise me you'll be careful, Han."

"Hey, I'm always careful," he replied.

"You're reckless!" Luke pointed out.

"I'm carefully reckless," Han insisted.

Luke looked like he was about to burst into tears again but a small laugh escaped him.

"Hey, that's an improvement," Han teased as he traced the tip of his index finger under Luke's bottom lip, "come on, I need to see a smile before I go."

All that got him was a pout as Luke asked with a small whine, "Do you have to go back?"

"Officially I'm not even supposed to be here now, kid," Han told him.

Luke sighed, "But you've been gone so long."

"I know, I'm sorry, but I'm alright, Luke...it's not because I almost died, hell, it's not even because I got hurt."

"Then why?" Luke thought to ask.

Han huffed and shrugged his shoulders, "No good reason...just being lazy."

"Somehow I find that hard to believe."

Han smirked and replied, "You don't know me as well as you think, junior."

There was truth to that, more so than Luke realized, but he conceded the fact, as he weakly responded, "I'm learning."

They'd both been laying on their sides for so long, Han felt his ribs ache in protest as he finally started to inch his way out of Luke's arms. He hovered over Luke on his knees, and looked down at that young face, the weary eyes.

"Alright, here's what's going to happen," Han said slowly, softly, and firmly, "I'm going to tuck you in, and you're going to go to sleep."

Luke started to move in protest, but Han was adamant, "You need to go to bed, you'll feel better in the morning."

Luke whined in protest, "I can't sleep."

"You have to, your old man already told me you haven't slept in two days," Han said as he pulled the covers tight over Luke and tucked the edges under the mattress to hold him in place.

"That's why I can't," Luke told him. "I don't want to have that dream again."

Han offered a small smile, "Hey, kid, I get it, but it's just a dream, it's not real."

"It felt real."

"I know, but you're fine, I'm fine...I'll comm you in a couple days, it..." Han wasn't in the habit of making promises, he was even less in the habit of keeping them, but he told Luke, "I won't be gone so long this time, I swear."

Luke's eyes were still bloodshot from a combination of crying and staying up the last 48 hours. He was barely able to even keep them open now even though he still fought all notions of sleep. He looked up at the Corellian and weakly got out, "I love you, Han."

The captain nodded solemnly, and added after a moment of hesitance, "I love you too, Luke."

As if to prove it, he leaned down and softly kissed Luke on the cheek, then on the forehead.

"Get some rest," he told the kid as he patted his arm through the blankets.

Luke weakly nodded and his eyes closed almost instantly. Han watched him for a few minutes before determining the kid really was asleep and completely dead to the world. Still, he stood by the bed for a few more minutes, watching to make sure. When he knew Luke was, he felt exhausted himself, but, his work here was done, and it was time to leave.


Han made his way down the stairs to the first floor, and at the doorway leading to the front hall he saw Darth Vader, who said nothing, just looked at the captain.

The Corellian felt very awkward about the whole situation and wasn't sure what to say. He stammered a bit, "Luke's...asleep upstairs...and...he should feel better in the morning, I'm...just...gonna leave now..."

"Before you go," the words hit him as soon as he'd turned his back on the dark lord. Han stayed where he was, uncertain where this was going, but not liking the possibilities. The modulated voice continued, "I want to talk to you, in private."

Han felt his teeth clench and a rock in his stomach. He had an idea where this was going.

"Yes sir," he said before finally turning to face Vader.

He followed Darth Vader into a room near the front hall. The door shut behind them, and he knew it was just the two of them. He wasn't sure exactly what was supposed to happen, or who was supposed to start. He walked over to the other side of the room and just looked straight ahead, not really seeing anything. Finally he turned to Vader and told the man, "I haven't stayed gone all this time just to avoid you two." The red lenses stared at him intensely and he broke down and admitted, "Okay, maybe I was avoiding you guys a little bit. This...it's just been a lot to deal with."

"I know," Vader replied, "and I'm sorry."

Han was very uncomfortable and he stared towards the wall again as he grappled with what he was going to say next.

"It's not that I'm worried Luke's vision is going to come true," he turned back and faced the man in black. "I've been staring down death so long, I'm used to it, I know what to expect...but just...the way he's acting...do you think he knows? Do you think he suspects anything?"

"He may suspect something," Vader replied. "But as to what really matters, he doesn't know, yet."

Han mulled over that and turned back to look at the wall as he thought about how to respond. While he tried to figure that out, Darth Vader spoke instead, and told him, "This can end at any time, you know that. I can pull you from the fleet, you would move in here, it would be announced to the galaxy."

"I just...I hate this," Han confessed. "Luke is..." there didn't even seem to be a word that would fit, he had to settle for several, none of which he thought did the young man any justice, "he's so...innocent, and trusting, and he's...the most pure-hearted person I've ever known...and when we finally tell him the truth, do you really think he isn't going to hate both of us for the rest of his life?"

"I've anticipated he will hate me when he knows," Vader answered. "I'm prepared for that...but he could never hate you."

Han looked at the dark lord uncertainly.

"You're his brother," Vader told him.