Luke was in too much of a daze to even register his 'friends' manhandling
him into a pair of binders.
"He must be a spy," he heard someone hiss.
"That's why the Empire's been finding so many of our bases lately."
"That's why he survived Bespin."
Bespin.
That word snapped Luke out of his stupor.
He swung his shoulders, pushing the hands away from him.
"He cut off my hand!" He growled. "I tried to KILL myself! It wasn't exactly a nice father/son chat!"
The mob fell silent.
"Take him to the debriefing room." Madine ordered.
Luke closed his eyes-- well, happy birthday, Skywalker.
~
Luke was given the seat of honor at the large circular table surrounded by the High Council. Unfortunately, he was tied to that seat of honor.
"Is this really necessary?" He grumbled in complaint.
"Commander Skywalker," Mon Mothma addressed him, making this name sound like an insult, "Please explain yourself."
Luke was silent. Explain himself? How was one to explain one's birth?
"Commander Skywalker, are these allegations true?"
Luke's eyes met his questioner's.
"Allegations?" He hissed. "Are you suggesting that I will be charged for being born?"
Her glare didn't soften.
"It's true then."
Luke inhaled deeply.
"I grew up on Tatooine an orphan, any claims to my parentage are unlikely."
"But not unheard of?" Mothma pressed.
"No."
Madine slammed his fist onto the table.
"How long have you known?" He demanded.
Quietly Luke answered,
"Since Bespin."
His voice, full a defeat and pain, demanded respect.
"What happened?" Admiral Ackbar asked gently.
Luke swallowed.
"We-we fought. Throughout the duel he taunted me, trying to get to me turn to the Dark Side--- and, when he had me cornered, he cut off - my sword hand--"
Luke paused again for a breath.
"He-he asked me what General Kenobi had told me about my father."
The room was silent, focused on his words.
"Ben told me-told me-that HE had betrayed and murdered my father---"
Luke spoke as if he were trying to convince himself not the condemnatory group surrounding him.
"He simply said, 'no, I am your father,'" He finished with a perturbing whisper.
"And what did you do?" Mothma questioned.
"I-I jumped-in to the reactor core of Cloud City."
"That should have killed you." Madine pointed out darkly.
"We went back and saved him." Leia reminded him meekly.
"The FALL should have killed him." Madine barked back.
"The Force was with me," Luke said softly.
"Like it's with Vader?" Madine asked venomously.
Luke opened his mouth to protest.
"Take him to a high security cell in the detention block." The general barked.
"You can't!" Leia stood in protest.
Mothma turned to her sharply, "Any defense on Skywalker's part will be considered treason."
Leia stood there helplessly, watching as Luke was dragged from the room. Han touched her arm lightly.
"It'll be okay," He said gently in her ear.
"Damn right it will be," She growled, and stalked out past the self- satisfied hierarchy of the Alliance.
~
Admiral Piett exchanged a concerned look with the officer next to him as another crash sounded from Lord Vader's personal quarters.
The man behind the door Piett stood next to was dangerously angry, and if the racket that had been coming from the quarters for the last hour was any indication- there was nothing left in there in one piece.
Unexpectedly, the door slid open, revealing the destruction on the other side.
"Open a line to Coruscant." Piett had never heard Vader's voice so low and deadly.
Piett opened his mouth fractionally-
"NOW!"
The door shut in his face.
Piett looked over at the wide-eyed officer, all protocol forgotten, "You couldn't take care of that for him, could you?"
The man nodded wordlessly and disappeared.
The whole ship had seen the broadcast an hour earlier, and had been immediately ordered to set course for the Imperial capital-but it seemed that Vader's patience had run out.
Piett could recall no instance in which Vader had contacted the Emperor- vice versa, yes. but to 'call' the Emperor-
Piett shook his head, he knew that the following days were going to be hellish; he and his crew were trapped on a ship with a very pissed off Sith Lord.
Force help us, he prayed.
~
Vader paced, and paced.
It was the only way to keep himself from further destroying the already annihilated room.
Finally the comm sounded. He forced himself to still and kneel just before his master appeared.
"Vader, what is the meaning of this?" The image demanded with no preamble.
"Master, what has happened?"
"I should cut off your other hand for such an outrage? You dare contact ME? If I wanted to talk to you, I'd call on YOU."
"How did THEY find out?" Vader persisted, his anger pushing aside his fear of any threats.
The Emperor pursed his lips. As I thought, Vader seethed, HE allowed someone to find out.
"How does not matter, my friend." Palpatine replied, "Return as soon as possible, and we will discuss our course of action in correcting this- slip."
"Yes-Master."
The image vanished.
Slip! His son's life hung in the balance, and it's a "slip."
Vader punched the wall, leaving a fist indentation in the bulkhead.
~
Luke had no way of judging time in his dark cell, but he knew he hadn't been there long.
He still couldn't grasp what had occurred-his friends had discovered his secret.
They had discovered it- and had persecuted him for it. No understanding, no sympathy- nothing.
Would his father have done such a thing?
Stop it, he berated himself, it doesn't matter now- I'll be executed soon anyway-
His cell door slid open-
Luke blinked, the blinding light prevented him from identifying the silhouette in the doorway.
"Who's there--?"
The figure stepped closer, "I'm Han Solo, I'm here to rescue you."
Luke couldn't help but smile. "I think I'd rather be rescued by a princess, but I guess a smuggler will do."
Han smiled, extending a hand, "Come on, Kid. We only have a twenty minute window to get to the Falcon and get out of here--"
"My lightsa--"
Han tossed the weapon to him, silencing him.
"Thanks."
"I owed you one."
Luke smirked, and followed his friend out of the detention block.
~
Han switched the comm off and turned to Luke, Leia, Chewie, and Lando, "Well, do you think they bought that bullshit?"
"They won't once they discover that a certain Commander Skywalker has slipped out for a drink."
They all looked at Lando, "I suppose you could put it that way--" Leia admitted with a smile- she turned to Luke to ask what he thought-and found him looking like she's never seen him before-
Truly ashamed.
"Luke--"
"Why did you bother?" He whispered.
"What?"
"Coming after me- why?"
"Look Kid," Han said leaning forward, "We don't care who your father is- we're just looking out for our friend- Luke."
Luke wouldn't look away from the floor.
Leia gently rubbed his back, "Luke--"
"I-I didn't find out until Bespin-I didn't know--"
That's why he's eyes were so empty, Leia realized, not because he lost his hand-but because he'd felt he lost his soul.
"Luke," she said gently, "you're still the same person."
Luke raised his eyes.
"To you, maybe, I'm Luke Skywalker-but to the rest of the galaxy, I'm Luke Vader."
Leia felt her stomach turn at the name.
"Luke," Han said firmly, "You know that's crazy."
Luke chewed his lower lip.
"Where are we going?" He asked finally.
Han made a surrendering gesture, "Where d' ya wanna go, Kid?"
Luke looked up at Han, a glint in his eye, "Coruscant."
[More soon, I Promise!! Please tell me what you think!]
"He must be a spy," he heard someone hiss.
"That's why the Empire's been finding so many of our bases lately."
"That's why he survived Bespin."
Bespin.
That word snapped Luke out of his stupor.
He swung his shoulders, pushing the hands away from him.
"He cut off my hand!" He growled. "I tried to KILL myself! It wasn't exactly a nice father/son chat!"
The mob fell silent.
"Take him to the debriefing room." Madine ordered.
Luke closed his eyes-- well, happy birthday, Skywalker.
~
Luke was given the seat of honor at the large circular table surrounded by the High Council. Unfortunately, he was tied to that seat of honor.
"Is this really necessary?" He grumbled in complaint.
"Commander Skywalker," Mon Mothma addressed him, making this name sound like an insult, "Please explain yourself."
Luke was silent. Explain himself? How was one to explain one's birth?
"Commander Skywalker, are these allegations true?"
Luke's eyes met his questioner's.
"Allegations?" He hissed. "Are you suggesting that I will be charged for being born?"
Her glare didn't soften.
"It's true then."
Luke inhaled deeply.
"I grew up on Tatooine an orphan, any claims to my parentage are unlikely."
"But not unheard of?" Mothma pressed.
"No."
Madine slammed his fist onto the table.
"How long have you known?" He demanded.
Quietly Luke answered,
"Since Bespin."
His voice, full a defeat and pain, demanded respect.
"What happened?" Admiral Ackbar asked gently.
Luke swallowed.
"We-we fought. Throughout the duel he taunted me, trying to get to me turn to the Dark Side--- and, when he had me cornered, he cut off - my sword hand--"
Luke paused again for a breath.
"He-he asked me what General Kenobi had told me about my father."
The room was silent, focused on his words.
"Ben told me-told me-that HE had betrayed and murdered my father---"
Luke spoke as if he were trying to convince himself not the condemnatory group surrounding him.
"He simply said, 'no, I am your father,'" He finished with a perturbing whisper.
"And what did you do?" Mothma questioned.
"I-I jumped-in to the reactor core of Cloud City."
"That should have killed you." Madine pointed out darkly.
"We went back and saved him." Leia reminded him meekly.
"The FALL should have killed him." Madine barked back.
"The Force was with me," Luke said softly.
"Like it's with Vader?" Madine asked venomously.
Luke opened his mouth to protest.
"Take him to a high security cell in the detention block." The general barked.
"You can't!" Leia stood in protest.
Mothma turned to her sharply, "Any defense on Skywalker's part will be considered treason."
Leia stood there helplessly, watching as Luke was dragged from the room. Han touched her arm lightly.
"It'll be okay," He said gently in her ear.
"Damn right it will be," She growled, and stalked out past the self- satisfied hierarchy of the Alliance.
~
Admiral Piett exchanged a concerned look with the officer next to him as another crash sounded from Lord Vader's personal quarters.
The man behind the door Piett stood next to was dangerously angry, and if the racket that had been coming from the quarters for the last hour was any indication- there was nothing left in there in one piece.
Unexpectedly, the door slid open, revealing the destruction on the other side.
"Open a line to Coruscant." Piett had never heard Vader's voice so low and deadly.
Piett opened his mouth fractionally-
"NOW!"
The door shut in his face.
Piett looked over at the wide-eyed officer, all protocol forgotten, "You couldn't take care of that for him, could you?"
The man nodded wordlessly and disappeared.
The whole ship had seen the broadcast an hour earlier, and had been immediately ordered to set course for the Imperial capital-but it seemed that Vader's patience had run out.
Piett could recall no instance in which Vader had contacted the Emperor- vice versa, yes. but to 'call' the Emperor-
Piett shook his head, he knew that the following days were going to be hellish; he and his crew were trapped on a ship with a very pissed off Sith Lord.
Force help us, he prayed.
~
Vader paced, and paced.
It was the only way to keep himself from further destroying the already annihilated room.
Finally the comm sounded. He forced himself to still and kneel just before his master appeared.
"Vader, what is the meaning of this?" The image demanded with no preamble.
"Master, what has happened?"
"I should cut off your other hand for such an outrage? You dare contact ME? If I wanted to talk to you, I'd call on YOU."
"How did THEY find out?" Vader persisted, his anger pushing aside his fear of any threats.
The Emperor pursed his lips. As I thought, Vader seethed, HE allowed someone to find out.
"How does not matter, my friend." Palpatine replied, "Return as soon as possible, and we will discuss our course of action in correcting this- slip."
"Yes-Master."
The image vanished.
Slip! His son's life hung in the balance, and it's a "slip."
Vader punched the wall, leaving a fist indentation in the bulkhead.
~
Luke had no way of judging time in his dark cell, but he knew he hadn't been there long.
He still couldn't grasp what had occurred-his friends had discovered his secret.
They had discovered it- and had persecuted him for it. No understanding, no sympathy- nothing.
Would his father have done such a thing?
Stop it, he berated himself, it doesn't matter now- I'll be executed soon anyway-
His cell door slid open-
Luke blinked, the blinding light prevented him from identifying the silhouette in the doorway.
"Who's there--?"
The figure stepped closer, "I'm Han Solo, I'm here to rescue you."
Luke couldn't help but smile. "I think I'd rather be rescued by a princess, but I guess a smuggler will do."
Han smiled, extending a hand, "Come on, Kid. We only have a twenty minute window to get to the Falcon and get out of here--"
"My lightsa--"
Han tossed the weapon to him, silencing him.
"Thanks."
"I owed you one."
Luke smirked, and followed his friend out of the detention block.
~
Han switched the comm off and turned to Luke, Leia, Chewie, and Lando, "Well, do you think they bought that bullshit?"
"They won't once they discover that a certain Commander Skywalker has slipped out for a drink."
They all looked at Lando, "I suppose you could put it that way--" Leia admitted with a smile- she turned to Luke to ask what he thought-and found him looking like she's never seen him before-
Truly ashamed.
"Luke--"
"Why did you bother?" He whispered.
"What?"
"Coming after me- why?"
"Look Kid," Han said leaning forward, "We don't care who your father is- we're just looking out for our friend- Luke."
Luke wouldn't look away from the floor.
Leia gently rubbed his back, "Luke--"
"I-I didn't find out until Bespin-I didn't know--"
That's why he's eyes were so empty, Leia realized, not because he lost his hand-but because he'd felt he lost his soul.
"Luke," she said gently, "you're still the same person."
Luke raised his eyes.
"To you, maybe, I'm Luke Skywalker-but to the rest of the galaxy, I'm Luke Vader."
Leia felt her stomach turn at the name.
"Luke," Han said firmly, "You know that's crazy."
Luke chewed his lower lip.
"Where are we going?" He asked finally.
Han made a surrendering gesture, "Where d' ya wanna go, Kid?"
Luke looked up at Han, a glint in his eye, "Coruscant."
[More soon, I Promise!! Please tell me what you think!]