Revealed Identities
Chapter 10: HoloNet Lies
Luke began by telling Leia, Han, and Chewie how he was captured, that is, what he could remember of it. He told them how Vader had come into his room and had set up a proposal for him: to end the brutalities that the Empire is so infamous for. Han snorted in disbelief.
"That's what I thought too." Luke said during to Han's interruption. "He told me that he wanted me to help. I thought at first that it was because I was Force sensitive..." Luke took in a deep breath.
"That's why he wanted you, right?" Han asked. Luke shook his head.
"He said..." Luke looked down at his hands, and closed his eyes, trying his best to get the words out. "He said, that he's...that he's my...father." Luke let out a deep breath. Leia and Han looked at him in surprise.
"That's not funny Luke." Han said, his face void of emotion.
"I'm not joking." Luke whispered.
"He really said that?" Leia asked sounding horrified.
"Yes." Luke replied in a monotone voice.
"He's just trying to rattle you. Your father died years ago, right? I'm sure Vader is doing his best to toy with you." Leia huffed, sounding as though she was trying to convince all three of them.
"You needed to know, either way." Luke explained.
"Kid," Han gave Luke a quirky smile, "you're too much of a wimp to be related to Vader." He patted Luke on the shoulder. Chewie growled a response.
"What did he say?" Luke wondered.
"He's just saying that you're a nerf-herder for even thinking that Vader is your father. Kid, like I said, don't worry. Listen to the princess. She might be right for once." Han shot her a smirk, and Leia sat up straight in defiance.
"This coming from one of the elite smuggler's of the galaxy? I am so honored you have such faith in my ability to reason through a situation." Leia bit out. Luke smiled; things hadn't changed at all. A weight seemed to lift of his shoulder, even if it was a light one. He still knew that Vader was his father, but he didn't want to discuss it further with his friends since they seemed so keen on denying it.
"Thanks guys." Luke smiled. Han waved it off as if he had said that the Millennium Falcon needed a paint job. Chewie rumbled something fondly, and rustled Luke's head.
"Master Luke, really, you shouldn't make up such absurd stories. My programming specifically tells me that it upsets others, and that is not something that you should do." Luke looked at C-3PO, suddenly remembering that he had forgotten about R2-D2.
"Oh no! I left Artoo in my X-wing. We should go get him." Luke said, heading for the door. Han shook his head.
"You need to get something to eat, and rest. We're still looking for Nekem, so get your strength back so you can help us. Chewie and me'll go get your X-wing. We'll take goldenrod along to help." Han grinned at Threepio who made an indignant noise at being called a goldenrod. Luke smiled and handed him the docking bay code- card.
"Really Captain Solo. I do not deserve such disrespect. I have done absolutely nothing wrong..." C-3PO's words trailed off as he, Chewie, and Han headed down the corridor. Leia turned to look at Luke.
"You think Vader is telling the truth." Leia stated firmly.
"About being my father...yes. About getting rid of the evils of the Empire...that I don't know." Luke sighed and sat down on the bed. Leia gave him a quick hug.
"Luke, if you are related to Vader...you must have gotten more of your mother's genes." Leia gave him a lop-sided smile, and Luke laughed.
"Thanks." Luke smiled sheepishly back.
"Go get something to eat." Luke nodded and headed for the small kitchenette on the Falcon.
Vader opened the com-channel to his Noghri assassin. The Noghri, Jallishka, waited patiently to speak.
"How did it go?" Vader wondered.
"Things went smoothly. The people at the hotel do not know what happened, and I have informed the Emperor of my success." The Noghri bowed low.
"Excellent. When you are finished with the rest of the plan, I need your help here aboard the Executer."
"Yes milord." The Noghri bowed again, and Vader signed off.
Han looked down at the codecard Luke had handed to him. It said that Luke's X-wing was located in the hangar at a place called the Yepelc station. It took Chewie, Han, and C-3PO awhile to push their way through the stream of pedestrians.
"This is it." Han said, as he reached the station. An old man sat behind a corner desk, ignoring the rest of the population around him as he sat engrossed in his HoloNet programs. He snorted at
them when they asked where the docking bay was. Rolling his eyes, he pointed over to where Luke's X-wing sat, Artoo firmly intact. As the three approached, Artoo whistled a happy greeting.
"Artoo Detoo! It's a wonder that these ill-mannered and grotesque humans haven't taken all your parts away from you already. I hope everything is well." Artoo beeped cheerfully.
"He says that Master Luke told him to wait here until he returned."
"Luke wants him to come with us now, X-wing and all. I even got his card here." Han held up the codecard for Artoo to see. He beeped something else.
"Artoo wishes to be taken out of the X-wing." Threepio translated.
"Actually, I don't think Luke would appreciate it if we were to fly his X-wing, so why don't we just give you the co-ordinates to where the Millennium Flacon is stationed? We can just put you in the cargo department there." C-3PO happily rattled off where Artoo could find the Millennium Falcon. Artoo took off to find where the Falcon was parked.
"Well that was a waste." Han muttered to himself as he walked back past the man on the front desk. Chewie growled a question. "Why was it a waste?" Han asked in disbelief. "It was a waste because we could have just keyed in the command for Artoo to come towards us." Han looked around, realizing that Threepio was no longer with them.
"Captain Solo! Captain Solo!" Threepio hollered, staring intently at the HoloNet screen.
"What is it?" Han wondered irritably. He walked over to where the protocol droid stood, following his gaze to the screen and gasped in surprise.
"...this special report was brought to you moments ago. The body of Rebel Commander Luke Skywalker was found in the hotel on the planet Rempinto. Imperial sources say that he was captured for his crimes, escaped, and killed earlier today by an un-known assassin."
They showed a picture of a mangled body, one that could hardly be recognizable as anyone, let alone Luke.
"They must have captured him and killed him aboard the Millennium Falcon!" Threepio muttered sadly.
"Get a grip." Han chided, leading him away quietly so no one could hear. "It's obviously some ploy of the Empire's. They're probably trying to rattle the Rebellion. I'm not sure what's going on, but the more people that think Luke's dead, the better it is for Luke at this time. Come on." Han gave a smirk. "We better go break the news to Luke that he died." Chewie gave a short chuckle, and the three headed off back to the Falcon.
Vader looked down at the plans he was preparing. He would only have one chance at this. He needed Luke's help to bring down the Empire, much more than he thought he had. It was one thing to get rid of the Emperor, but the entire Empire...he would need his son's help. Taking in a deep breath, he hoped that Jallishka would reach Luke in time to deliver his message. They had only a small amount of time to work with.
The threesome arrived at the Falcon just as Artoo arrived.
"What took you so long?" C-3PO asked. Artoo beeped something about terrible air-traffic. "Excuses, excuses." Threepio mumbled.
"What's going on?" Leia asked as she and Luke appeared from the Falcon.
"Luke, we have some terrible news." Han said, his face becoming a mask of seriousness.
"What is it?" Luke asked, worried.
"You died." Han said seriously. Luke raised his eyebrows.
"Excuse me?" Luke questioned. Han laughed at his friend's startled look.
"It was on the HoloNet." Han explained what they had seen. Luke heaved a sigh. He had forgotten to mention the part about the assassin to them earlier.
"An assassin really did try to kill me earlier." He said, his voice grave.
"What? Why didn't you tell us that sooner?" Leia demanded.
"I was too relived to see you guys." He shrugged it off and continued with what he was saying. Perhaps the assassin couldn't afford to say that he miffed the job. "This could be good." Luke said, hope filtering into his voice. Maybe they would really consider him dead.
"Let's hope so junior. We still don't know what the Empire is planning for you. The sooner we find the information on Nekem, the faster we can get off this place." Han explained.
"Then tomorrow we better find out what he did with that information." Leia said determinedly.
Next part...Jallishka