Sorry for the long wait. RL has been livid for the past couple of months, but expect more updates for a while. Thanks for the comments.
They waited upon the pad, watching as the ship descended. Soon it landed and the ramp lowered.
"I can walk!" a voice snapped.
"I am sorry, Mr. Skywalker, but we were ordered to keep you off your feet," a calmer voice said.
The speakers came into view. Two healers were guiding a hover bed down the ramp. Behind them came Wedge, a dark look upon his face.
The healers came towards them and they got their first look at the figure lying there. Leia gasped softly and wanted to turn away, but dare not. Was this truly her brother?!
He seemed so thin, and lifeless except for the fire burning in his dark blue eyes. Not the same crystal blue she remembered, but what she most remembered was of the clone, not her real brother. His face was scared and burned. He looked to be skin and bone. But what really shocked her was the anger and fear that was boiling inside him. She also noticed that his force presence was weak, almost like Han's or Wedge's.
"Stop for a second," Luke said as they nearly passed them.
His voice was rougher then she remembered. He pushed himself up into a semi sitting position and looked at them.
"Well, its been a Sithen' long time. Bet you didn't even notice I was gone," he sneered sarcastically.
"Luke," Leia whispered softly.
"What? Luke, I am sorry we abandoned you to that Sithen' place to die while your soul was crushed? Luke, sorry I didn't realize that my best friend was switched with a clone? And Han, what about you? Mr. I can tell the difference between the real and the fake? Your senses failed you this time, Solo, and yet it wasn't you that paid, it was I! I guess I wind up paying for all your screw-ups. Both of you, I have had to risk myself time and again and yet you leave me to rot in a slave camp. To suffer, to starve, to wish for death that wouldn't come. You know how I spent these last few years? Do you? Wondering where the Sithen' hells you were!" Luke cried, glaring at each of them with a gaze harder then steel.
"Luke, we didn't know," Han said softly, his heart hurting under the assault of words from his friend.
"I guess the Emperor's plan did work, and I can just be replaced by any clone that walks in looking like me. Glad to know I am so useless!" Luke laughed bitterly.
"No, it wasn't that," Leia started, tears staring to well up in her eyes.
"I don't want to hear it. Keep your excuses to yourselves. I lived without you this long, and you seemed to not have noticed that I was gone, maybe I should just stay out of your lives," Luke hissed then lay back.
"Get going," he snapped, and the healers headed toward the waiting transport.
"Luke!" Leia cried out, but he was gone, into the transport and away, again.
She then turned to Han and he wrapped his arms around her as she wept. Tears slid down his own face. They had just found their true friend and brother again, only to lose him to the bitterness and rage he held within himself. Could they save him, or had they really have lost Luke for good?
"He's been like that during the whole trip. You have to remember what he has been through. It's going to take time, and he is in a lot of pain," Wedge said, coming up to them.
"Wedge, did he say anything to you about what happened?" Han asked, as Leia tried to control her strangled emotions.
"Mostly he mumbled about the Emperor's plan working. Though he did speak slightly of his slavery, and you don't want to know what he told, its pretty horrifying," Wedge said and shuddered slightly.
"Did you tell him about what has been going on?" Han asked.
"I did tell him a little, like that the war was nearly over, and we are just cleaning up what is left of the Empire. I also told him that Vader and the Emperor were dead," Wedge said.
"How did he respond?" Leia asked softly, finally pulling away from Han slightly to look at him.
Wedge sighed, "He said, 'Finally, my forsaken, despicable Father and my tormentor and hatred are dead. Maybe now I can die in peace'," Wedge said softly.
"Oh, Luke," Leia whispered to herself.
"Thanks for finding and looking after him, Wedge," Han said softly.
"I only wish I found him sooner," Wedge sighed, and then headed back to the ship.
"Han, what are we going to do?" Leia asked, at an utter loss.
She had never felt like this, as if she was losing control and everything was turning on her. But Han was still solid in her world, and she needed him.
"First, Leia, we need to contact Mara, she may know more about this. Then we had better get down to the healer wards and see what they are going to do for Luke," Han said, taking her by the shoulders.
Leia nodded silently and he led her to the transport waiting for them.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Han dialed the number quickly into the comm. He waited for a moment, when suddenly Mara's face came into view. Han frowned slightly as he looked at her dull green eyes; they had been that way since Luke's death. How would she react to this?
"Yes, Solo?" Mara asked.
"Mara, I have some news involving Luke, that you might not have heard," Han said.
"What could be new to me? Luke is dead no matter what," Mara snapped.
"Listen, Mara, he isn't dead. He is alive. Wedge found him in a slave camp and brought him home. The one that died was Luke's clone," Han said.
Mara leaned back in shock. Luke was alive? Could it be?
"Where can I meet you?" she asked.
"At the healers wards. And, Mara, I need to warn you, this isn't the same Luke you knew," he said softly.
"I will be there. And I know he won't be," she said, and shut down the comm.
Leia and Han waited for word of Luke's condition. Mara hadn't come yet, and Han began to doubt she would. She hadn't been the same since Luke had died.
Finally a Healer appeared.
"Lady Solo, General Solo, I have word of Skywalker's condition," the healer said calmly as he approached them.
"How is he?" Leia asked.
"He is stable at the moment, madam, and should remain so for now. We cannot put him in a bacta tank or cast for that matter though," the healer said.
Leia and Han were both puzzled and worried by this, Luke had never had a problem with bacta before. If that was their Luke.
"There is a substance in his blood that makes him allergic to bacta. We were lucky to have caught it in time before we put him in. We had to do it the cruder way, by operating. We've manage to set the bones back into a correct position to heal, and repaired some of his injured organs. His heart and lungs worry me slightly, because they were weakened under the strain of the last five years and a half. Hopefully they will strengthen in time, as will his mind, witch has been through a great ordeal. But he is a strong willed young man, and should survive if he wishes to," the healer said.
"That substance wasn't in his blood before, was it, healer? What do you mean if he wishes to?" Leia asked, fear welling up in her that Luke's torment was not over yet.
"No, the substance was put in his blood during his time in slavery. It cannot be removed from him now. As to if he wishes to, it is hard to tell. He does not seem to care any longer to live or to die. For a time, he will keep going. But if this keeps up, he won't make it another year. I am sorry," the healer said softly.
"There is nothing you can do. Can we see him?" Han asked.
"He is still a bit out of it. But yes, you may, but only one at a time, his mentality is still fragile. We can't risk over whelming him and having him going into shock. He is in the last room on you left down that hallway," the healer said and pointed.
They nodded their thanks, and went down the hall to stop at the front of the door.
"Do you want me to go in first?" Han asked Leia softly.
Leia nodded slightly, her eyes trailing from his to the door. He tried to conjure up one of his cocky smiles for her, but couldn't do more then a ghost of a smile. He then opened the door and entered, closing the door behind him.
The room was dimly lit. Han wearily approached the bed and looked down at the half conscious figure.
Luke's face looked slightly better, now that the bones were set, though it was still scared and burned. But he still looked weak and frail, and now even more so in that bed.
"You finally come?" Luke said weakly, half opening his eyes to look at Han.
"Kid... Luke, if I had known, I would have busted threw the gates of the Emperor's palace personally to save you," Han said softly.
"Sure, I was there for nearly six months, and you never came," Luke said, his voice a little drowsy sounding but the dark hard look in his eyes remained.
"Luke, there isn't an excuse," Han started but Luke cut him off.
"No Sith there isn't! You should have known! We worked together to transport that doctor and his clone, and you told me you could tell the difference from the real person and the clone. You swore you wouldn't be fooled. Well Sith you, Solo! I thought I was your best friend! You didn't even know that guy, but you could tell me which one was which yet when a clone of me walks up to you, you immediately assume its me!" Luke exclaimed, a wild fire of pain and misery springing into his ice blue eyes.
"Luke, I am so sorry. I was a fool," Han whispered, pain and guilt tearing at his heart.
"Yes, you were a Sith spawn of a fool, and I want you out of my sight. I don't care if your sorry, it doesn't really stand for anything now. Get out of my sight!" Luke yelled.
Han could do nothing but leave quietly. His heart hurt inside, and deep within, a fire of anger burned. If the Emperor and the slavers weren't dead all ready, he would have killed them all personally for what they had done to Luke. But he couldn't change the past, and his grief filled him as he exited the room and closed the door behind him.
"Han?" Leia asked, seeing his hurt expression.
"I don't think it would be wise for you to see him, Leia," he said softly.
"I have to, Han," Leia whispered.
He touched her check, and she saw tears in his eyes.
"Then hold strong, Princess, because inside that shell in there is a bitter, abused man, who is going to need more then healers to help him now. He isn't the Luke we knew," he said softly, kissing her gently on the bridge of her nose before pulling away and opening the door for her.
She walked into the dimly lit room and headed strait for the bed, pulling up every piece of courage and icy patience that she had in her. Things did not get to Han easily and after how Luke had reacted a few hours, or was it days ago, she had to be ready.
"Luke?" she called softly.
"Yeah, your reject is here," Luke hissed.
Leia stood by the bed and looked down at him. She held back her gasps and tears as she beheld him. It wasn't just his physical change, but his Force presence was dark and cold, closed off.
"What do you want, Princess? Want to try the same thing as your so called Knight?" Luke sneered.
"No, I know you won't listen. Not yet anyways. I wanted you to know that I love you, Luke," she said softly.
"Love! Ha! If you had loved me, even as a friend, you wouldn't have left me to rot in that place! Do you realize what has been done to me? The Emperor used me as his private whipping post. Someone made him angry, it was me who bleed. Then he gives up and sends me off to the slavery camps, and I toil and I suffer and I wait for you to come for me. Yet you never did. Is that what you call love, Leia?!" Luke exclaimed.
"Luke, I admit, we were fooled. We shouldn't have been, but we were. If only we knew, we would have come for you," she said softly.
"Sure you would have. I bet you would have come with half the Rebel army. I am not falling for it, Princess. So you might as well leave like your, what is he now, husband? I am surprised you haven't betrayed each other yet," Luke sneered.
Leia's temper raised and her icy confidence was melting.
"Luke, we wouldn't betray you. I wouldn't betray you, I am your sister," she put a hand to her mouth as she realized what she had just said.
Luke looked shocked for a moment then growled, "My sister, huh? Well, little good that did me. I thought twins were supposed to have a bond between them. Or did you just rip it apart? Because the Emperor stole a lot from me, even my gift, but he couldn't steal that. Nice to know how much you hated me. Now get out."
"Luke," she pleaded.
" I don't care if you are my sister. Get out!" he roared in his weaken state.
She fled the room and buried herself into Han's arms. Han gently held her, his own silent tears falling as she wept for the brother she had lost and he for his bonded brother.
They waited upon the pad, watching as the ship descended. Soon it landed and the ramp lowered.
"I can walk!" a voice snapped.
"I am sorry, Mr. Skywalker, but we were ordered to keep you off your feet," a calmer voice said.
The speakers came into view. Two healers were guiding a hover bed down the ramp. Behind them came Wedge, a dark look upon his face.
The healers came towards them and they got their first look at the figure lying there. Leia gasped softly and wanted to turn away, but dare not. Was this truly her brother?!
He seemed so thin, and lifeless except for the fire burning in his dark blue eyes. Not the same crystal blue she remembered, but what she most remembered was of the clone, not her real brother. His face was scared and burned. He looked to be skin and bone. But what really shocked her was the anger and fear that was boiling inside him. She also noticed that his force presence was weak, almost like Han's or Wedge's.
"Stop for a second," Luke said as they nearly passed them.
His voice was rougher then she remembered. He pushed himself up into a semi sitting position and looked at them.
"Well, its been a Sithen' long time. Bet you didn't even notice I was gone," he sneered sarcastically.
"Luke," Leia whispered softly.
"What? Luke, I am sorry we abandoned you to that Sithen' place to die while your soul was crushed? Luke, sorry I didn't realize that my best friend was switched with a clone? And Han, what about you? Mr. I can tell the difference between the real and the fake? Your senses failed you this time, Solo, and yet it wasn't you that paid, it was I! I guess I wind up paying for all your screw-ups. Both of you, I have had to risk myself time and again and yet you leave me to rot in a slave camp. To suffer, to starve, to wish for death that wouldn't come. You know how I spent these last few years? Do you? Wondering where the Sithen' hells you were!" Luke cried, glaring at each of them with a gaze harder then steel.
"Luke, we didn't know," Han said softly, his heart hurting under the assault of words from his friend.
"I guess the Emperor's plan did work, and I can just be replaced by any clone that walks in looking like me. Glad to know I am so useless!" Luke laughed bitterly.
"No, it wasn't that," Leia started, tears staring to well up in her eyes.
"I don't want to hear it. Keep your excuses to yourselves. I lived without you this long, and you seemed to not have noticed that I was gone, maybe I should just stay out of your lives," Luke hissed then lay back.
"Get going," he snapped, and the healers headed toward the waiting transport.
"Luke!" Leia cried out, but he was gone, into the transport and away, again.
She then turned to Han and he wrapped his arms around her as she wept. Tears slid down his own face. They had just found their true friend and brother again, only to lose him to the bitterness and rage he held within himself. Could they save him, or had they really have lost Luke for good?
"He's been like that during the whole trip. You have to remember what he has been through. It's going to take time, and he is in a lot of pain," Wedge said, coming up to them.
"Wedge, did he say anything to you about what happened?" Han asked, as Leia tried to control her strangled emotions.
"Mostly he mumbled about the Emperor's plan working. Though he did speak slightly of his slavery, and you don't want to know what he told, its pretty horrifying," Wedge said and shuddered slightly.
"Did you tell him about what has been going on?" Han asked.
"I did tell him a little, like that the war was nearly over, and we are just cleaning up what is left of the Empire. I also told him that Vader and the Emperor were dead," Wedge said.
"How did he respond?" Leia asked softly, finally pulling away from Han slightly to look at him.
Wedge sighed, "He said, 'Finally, my forsaken, despicable Father and my tormentor and hatred are dead. Maybe now I can die in peace'," Wedge said softly.
"Oh, Luke," Leia whispered to herself.
"Thanks for finding and looking after him, Wedge," Han said softly.
"I only wish I found him sooner," Wedge sighed, and then headed back to the ship.
"Han, what are we going to do?" Leia asked, at an utter loss.
She had never felt like this, as if she was losing control and everything was turning on her. But Han was still solid in her world, and she needed him.
"First, Leia, we need to contact Mara, she may know more about this. Then we had better get down to the healer wards and see what they are going to do for Luke," Han said, taking her by the shoulders.
Leia nodded silently and he led her to the transport waiting for them.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Han dialed the number quickly into the comm. He waited for a moment, when suddenly Mara's face came into view. Han frowned slightly as he looked at her dull green eyes; they had been that way since Luke's death. How would she react to this?
"Yes, Solo?" Mara asked.
"Mara, I have some news involving Luke, that you might not have heard," Han said.
"What could be new to me? Luke is dead no matter what," Mara snapped.
"Listen, Mara, he isn't dead. He is alive. Wedge found him in a slave camp and brought him home. The one that died was Luke's clone," Han said.
Mara leaned back in shock. Luke was alive? Could it be?
"Where can I meet you?" she asked.
"At the healers wards. And, Mara, I need to warn you, this isn't the same Luke you knew," he said softly.
"I will be there. And I know he won't be," she said, and shut down the comm.
Leia and Han waited for word of Luke's condition. Mara hadn't come yet, and Han began to doubt she would. She hadn't been the same since Luke had died.
Finally a Healer appeared.
"Lady Solo, General Solo, I have word of Skywalker's condition," the healer said calmly as he approached them.
"How is he?" Leia asked.
"He is stable at the moment, madam, and should remain so for now. We cannot put him in a bacta tank or cast for that matter though," the healer said.
Leia and Han were both puzzled and worried by this, Luke had never had a problem with bacta before. If that was their Luke.
"There is a substance in his blood that makes him allergic to bacta. We were lucky to have caught it in time before we put him in. We had to do it the cruder way, by operating. We've manage to set the bones back into a correct position to heal, and repaired some of his injured organs. His heart and lungs worry me slightly, because they were weakened under the strain of the last five years and a half. Hopefully they will strengthen in time, as will his mind, witch has been through a great ordeal. But he is a strong willed young man, and should survive if he wishes to," the healer said.
"That substance wasn't in his blood before, was it, healer? What do you mean if he wishes to?" Leia asked, fear welling up in her that Luke's torment was not over yet.
"No, the substance was put in his blood during his time in slavery. It cannot be removed from him now. As to if he wishes to, it is hard to tell. He does not seem to care any longer to live or to die. For a time, he will keep going. But if this keeps up, he won't make it another year. I am sorry," the healer said softly.
"There is nothing you can do. Can we see him?" Han asked.
"He is still a bit out of it. But yes, you may, but only one at a time, his mentality is still fragile. We can't risk over whelming him and having him going into shock. He is in the last room on you left down that hallway," the healer said and pointed.
They nodded their thanks, and went down the hall to stop at the front of the door.
"Do you want me to go in first?" Han asked Leia softly.
Leia nodded slightly, her eyes trailing from his to the door. He tried to conjure up one of his cocky smiles for her, but couldn't do more then a ghost of a smile. He then opened the door and entered, closing the door behind him.
The room was dimly lit. Han wearily approached the bed and looked down at the half conscious figure.
Luke's face looked slightly better, now that the bones were set, though it was still scared and burned. But he still looked weak and frail, and now even more so in that bed.
"You finally come?" Luke said weakly, half opening his eyes to look at Han.
"Kid... Luke, if I had known, I would have busted threw the gates of the Emperor's palace personally to save you," Han said softly.
"Sure, I was there for nearly six months, and you never came," Luke said, his voice a little drowsy sounding but the dark hard look in his eyes remained.
"Luke, there isn't an excuse," Han started but Luke cut him off.
"No Sith there isn't! You should have known! We worked together to transport that doctor and his clone, and you told me you could tell the difference from the real person and the clone. You swore you wouldn't be fooled. Well Sith you, Solo! I thought I was your best friend! You didn't even know that guy, but you could tell me which one was which yet when a clone of me walks up to you, you immediately assume its me!" Luke exclaimed, a wild fire of pain and misery springing into his ice blue eyes.
"Luke, I am so sorry. I was a fool," Han whispered, pain and guilt tearing at his heart.
"Yes, you were a Sith spawn of a fool, and I want you out of my sight. I don't care if your sorry, it doesn't really stand for anything now. Get out of my sight!" Luke yelled.
Han could do nothing but leave quietly. His heart hurt inside, and deep within, a fire of anger burned. If the Emperor and the slavers weren't dead all ready, he would have killed them all personally for what they had done to Luke. But he couldn't change the past, and his grief filled him as he exited the room and closed the door behind him.
"Han?" Leia asked, seeing his hurt expression.
"I don't think it would be wise for you to see him, Leia," he said softly.
"I have to, Han," Leia whispered.
He touched her check, and she saw tears in his eyes.
"Then hold strong, Princess, because inside that shell in there is a bitter, abused man, who is going to need more then healers to help him now. He isn't the Luke we knew," he said softly, kissing her gently on the bridge of her nose before pulling away and opening the door for her.
She walked into the dimly lit room and headed strait for the bed, pulling up every piece of courage and icy patience that she had in her. Things did not get to Han easily and after how Luke had reacted a few hours, or was it days ago, she had to be ready.
"Luke?" she called softly.
"Yeah, your reject is here," Luke hissed.
Leia stood by the bed and looked down at him. She held back her gasps and tears as she beheld him. It wasn't just his physical change, but his Force presence was dark and cold, closed off.
"What do you want, Princess? Want to try the same thing as your so called Knight?" Luke sneered.
"No, I know you won't listen. Not yet anyways. I wanted you to know that I love you, Luke," she said softly.
"Love! Ha! If you had loved me, even as a friend, you wouldn't have left me to rot in that place! Do you realize what has been done to me? The Emperor used me as his private whipping post. Someone made him angry, it was me who bleed. Then he gives up and sends me off to the slavery camps, and I toil and I suffer and I wait for you to come for me. Yet you never did. Is that what you call love, Leia?!" Luke exclaimed.
"Luke, I admit, we were fooled. We shouldn't have been, but we were. If only we knew, we would have come for you," she said softly.
"Sure you would have. I bet you would have come with half the Rebel army. I am not falling for it, Princess. So you might as well leave like your, what is he now, husband? I am surprised you haven't betrayed each other yet," Luke sneered.
Leia's temper raised and her icy confidence was melting.
"Luke, we wouldn't betray you. I wouldn't betray you, I am your sister," she put a hand to her mouth as she realized what she had just said.
Luke looked shocked for a moment then growled, "My sister, huh? Well, little good that did me. I thought twins were supposed to have a bond between them. Or did you just rip it apart? Because the Emperor stole a lot from me, even my gift, but he couldn't steal that. Nice to know how much you hated me. Now get out."
"Luke," she pleaded.
" I don't care if you are my sister. Get out!" he roared in his weaken state.
She fled the room and buried herself into Han's arms. Han gently held her, his own silent tears falling as she wept for the brother she had lost and he for his bonded brother.