A/N: Okay, so, after some PMs I've received, I feel the need to clarify some things.

In case this wasn't clear from Kix making a Princess Bride reference in the first chapter, I write found family/adventure/comedy/fix-it fics. So while there will be dark, emotional, and violent moments, this will not be canon-typical tragedy. Sorry of that's not what people want/expect, but, well… The only other fic on my profile is a One Piece SI. That's just my style. If I try and write tragedy, I'll make myself too sad to continue.

I am using a mixture of Canon, Legends, and Disney material, along with my own headcanons and worldbuilding.

I headcanon both Obi-Wan and Luke as bisexual. This is unlikely to affect the fic much outside of some humorous flirting scenes, though, as I ship Obi-Wan with Satine and none of the people I ship Luke with are around in a shippable capacity during the prequel era.

Anakin and Luke are both in their late teens-early twenties. Their shenanigans will be written accordingly, based on my experiences. Luke may be wise and mature for his age, but that isn't necessarily saying much.

While I know that canonically, Vader is roughly 15cm/6in taller than Anakin due to his armour and prosthetics, I have decided that for the purpose of this fic they are both Vader-height, because the idea of Anakin towering over 90% of other characters is amusing tor me.

Luke should probably have asked before borrowing Obi-Wan's ship, but it wasn't like he had one of his own. He'd have to ask about that later. Possibly after begging Obi-Wan's forgiveness.

Maybe Anakin would have some tips for that.

"D0 Y0U H4V3 4 V1RU5?" Ayfor demanded from behind him. "7H15 HYP3R5P4C3 14N3 15 700 N4RR0W! N07 3V3N 4 PR0P3R 14N3—JU57 4 71NY W3D63 B37W33N 6R4V17Y W3115!"

"It's not that bad," Luke muttered, rolling his eyes. "I've taken a wider ship through a narrower gap before." Not in hyperspace, sure, but his T-65B X-Wing had almost three times the wingspan of a Delta-7 Aethersprite, and the Death Star trenches were a Hell of a lot narrower than a 2km hyperspace gap. Sure, something like the Redeemer or the Negotiator would be in danger, but this little ship? Not a chance.

"1F Y0U'R3 5UR3…"

The trip was a short one, barely half an hour. They exited hyperspace a little too close to what Luke could only assume was the medical centre—not dangerously close, no, but near enough that a less skilled pilot might have had some problems. As it was, Luke had no issues whatsoever steering Obi-Wan's ship into the shadow of the station, attempting to keep hidden as he watched for… whatever superweapon was supposed to appear.

He supposed he'd know it when he saw it.

Luke had seen a lot of odd ships and space stations in his time with the Rebel Alliance—often cobbled together from the remains of other odd ships and space stations—but he'd never seen anything quite like the Kaliida Shoals Medical Facility. It most closely resembled a giant ice cream cone, like the ones he and Leia had made to pass the time on Hoth. He snickered, imagining the facility topped with a scoop of jogan fruit ice cream the size of his uncle's farm.

Leia… Uncle Owen… Aunt Beru…

His aunt and uncle would be alive in this time, Luke realised. They'd be alive for many years yet. His heart ached; he wanted to see them. But… They wouldn't recognize him. He hadn't been born yet, Leia hadn't been born yet, and even his father… Luke got the feeling Anakin didn't go back to Tatooine to visit family very much. That farm that once upon a time he'd been so eager to get away from… It would never be home again.

He'd be nothing but a stranger to the people who'd raised him, at best some distant hero they saw pictures of on the holonet.

Luke didn't realise his hands were shaking until he heard the whirr that meant Ayfor was taking over the controls. "Y0U 5UR3 7H3R3'5 N0 V1RU5?" the astromech beeped. "Y0U 4R3 N07 FUNC710N1N6 0P71M411Y."

"I'll be okay, I promise." Luke took a few deep breaths, envisioning his tension and grief leaving his body as clouds of mist as he released them into the Force. Just like Ben had taught him…

The ghost appeared as if summoned, his blue glow filling the cramped cockpit. Luke rolled his eyes.

"You could have stayed on the Negotiator. I know you're incorporeal, but there's still not enough room in here for two people." He could feel a vaguely warm tingling in his back where Ben's knee was poking into him. It was weird.

My younger counterpart still cannot see me, Ben sighed, And I may have inadvertently started a cult among the mouse droids when I was organising some paperwork. I decided that it was a better use of my afterlife to see if you needed advice than to try and explain the Force to a bunch of MSE-6 units using nothing but scribbles on scraps of flimsi.

Well, yeah, that sounded like an exercise in futility. Luke blinked. "You… didn't actually try to do that, did you?"

It took me three hours to explain to them that the ship was not in need of an exorcism. I'm still not sure they even knew what the word exorcism meant.

Luke couldn't help but laugh, even as he felt bad for his mentor's lonely existence. Ben smiled sadly; Luke did his best to get himself under control.

"Sorry, it's just… you floating in the middle of a circle of mouse droids, tossing them notes…"

It's an amusing image, yes.

A concerned beep from Ayfor helped Luke regain his composure. Right, right, she had no way of seeing who he was talking to. "I'm sure we'll get everyone else to see you someday," he assured Ben quietly. "Well… Maybe not the droids. But Father, Anakin, Ahsoka, and your younger self, I'm sure of."

I hope you're right, dear one.

Something shifted at the edge of Luke's vision; Ayfor shrieked an alarm. Suddenly, where previously there had been empty space, there was an absolutely massive ship. It was easily four times the size of Anakin's Redeemer. The ship was a sharp, nasty-looking thing banded with dark greys, projections sticking up at uncomfortable angles, like the head of a jagged spear. Luke's eyes flicked to a giant rondel in the middle.

The ion cannon.

Sometimes he hated how space made things so silent. Something that large should have made noise by its mere presence, should have entered battle with a sound like a thunderclap. But there was nothing.

Luke reached out with the Force and frowned. "There's… There's only one lifeform on that ship."

The Separatists fight mainly using an army made of droids.

Ah. That explained it. Well… At least he wouldn't feel as guilty about blowing up this ship, then. Not like the Death Star

. . .

It briefly occurred to Luke that, despite his shorter military career and less bloodthirsty intentions, he might have nearly as high a kill count as his father just from that one mission alone. Or possibly—and the thought made him shudder—his body count might actually be even higher than his father's. The crew of the Death Star had numbered almost two million.

The Malevolence was still out of range—unlike Luke, the droids hadn't risked a super tight approach. With a ship that large, it would've been pretty much impossible. But it probably wouldn't take them long to get to a place where they could bring that ion cannon to bear. Luke carefully steered Obi-Wan's ship around the medical centre to make his first attack run…

And suddenly fifteen ships appeared around him, three Aethersprite interceptors and a dozen BTL-B Y-Wings. Two of the fighter-bombers had taken hits of some kind—one had sparks pouring from its astromech pit and the other had some damage to its left stabilizer. Luke sent the image to Anakin through their bond.

. . .

He really needed to figure out what he and Anakin were to each other. Technically, Anakin was his father, but given Vader's presence and Luke's age, that really wasn't going to work for their current relationship. But it felt wrong to think of Anakin as just a general or another Jedi. They were still family.

The Force hummed in acknowledgement as Anakin's voice came over the comms. "Contrail, Matchstick, you can't fight like that. Go dock at the medical station and see if you can make repairs."

"But Sir-!"

"That's an order, troopers. Especially Matchstick; going into a fight knowing you have a damaged stabilizer is suicidal and a danger to others."

"Yes Sir."

The damaged ships pulled away. Anakin sighed. "Thankfully, with Master Koon and… Flip here, we won't be short-handed. Broadside, Tag, since your wingmen are down for the count, I want you two together. Ahsoka, you'll fly with Master Koon today; Flip, you're with me."

Luke stiffened in his seat, eyes going wide. He was going to fly with Anakin? He was going to fly with a version of his father without the two of them trying to kill each other?

Ben patted his shoulder, chuckling. The ghost's touch tingled.

A deep, soothing voice Luke didn't recognize came over the comms. "Knight Skywalker, you need to work on your deception abilities."

"What?!" Anakin let out possibly the most undignified squawk Luke had ever heard, and he'd shared a ship with Han and Leia. Ben's chuckles turned into full on laughter, the ghost radiating fondness.

"While I cannot sense him the way I could his father, I can tell from your tone as you said his Name that this man is not a clone." The deep voice huffed with laughter. "Hello, Luke; you appear to be the person under Master Kenobi's command who has any concept of what the word discreet means."

"I, uh, thanks, I guess?" Kriff, kriff, kriff, were they really that bad at keeping secrets? This disguise thing was not going the way Luke had planned, and this was the first other Jedi they were encountering. What would happen when they got back to Coruscant?

There was no time to think about it at the moment, though. Droid fighters were emerging from the Malevolence, preparing to defend the giant ship as it charged its ion cannon. There were… a lot of them. The Republic forces were vastly outnumbered. Not necessarily outgunned, but it was going to take some fancy flying.

Anakin's voice rang out in Luke's head. I have a plan.

Luke glanced at Ben, wondering if his ghostly mentor had heard. Ben nodded, one hand covering his mouth as he fought back more laughter. Yes, I can eavesdrop on your Force bonds. It's easiest with my younger self, but the whole group of us is so entangled by this point…

When he says he has a plan, does he mean it?

From a certain point of view. Ben smiled. What Anakin means, however, is that he has an idea that just might be insane enough to work, if he can manage not to be killed putting it into action.

Luke shrugged. Good enough for me. Han and I use that sort of plan all the time.

Believe me, I am well aware.

He turned his attention back to Anakin. What do you need?

Anakin radiated surprise. Apparently he hadn't expected Luke to accept so easily. I need you to open up to me. Like, in the Force. So we can move with one mind.

That was a thing they could do? Luke shot a surprised look at Ben, who nodded in confirmation. Sounds dangerous. What if we can't separate afterwards?

There was a sense of Anakin shrugging; their bond radiated confidence. Obi-Wan and I do it all the time on the ground. We've been fine. Please? I wanna know if it works for piloting too.

Luke would be lying if he said he didn't want to try it, but he was still a bit hesitant. What if one of us gets pulled into the other's memories?

That never happens, was the instant, cocky reply. It was followed up more softly. If it does, though… Well, I think I've already seen the worst your time has to offer, just not from your point of view. I promise not to freak out again.

And if I get sucked into your memories? Luke had no desire to witness intimate moments between his parents, especially not from his father's point of view.

Anakin laughed across their bond. I promise, you won't. Just trust me.

Trust me.

It wasn't something Vader had ever asked of him, even now that Luke's father was no longer immersed in the Dark. Join me, come with me, help me, but… Never trust me. Luke did, of course, trust his father, but it wasn't something Vader had ever asked for.

But…

Did he trust Anakin?

Yes, Luke decided, yes he did. He lowered his shields.

Anakin was there in an instant, his presence intertwining with Luke's. The initial feeling was… a bit painful. Something throbbed in the back of Luke's head; the lights of his cockpit suddenly seemed far too bright. He dimmed them, wincing and shaking his head. Then came a sensation like waking up, except he was already awake even before the sleepy fuzziness fell away.

And he knew… Luke suddenly knew every motion Anakin was making, the way he knew without looking what his feet were doing when he was walking.

Sorry about that. Anakin winced. Obi-Wan and I do this so often, I forgot how uncomfortable it can be the first few times. I should've warned you.

It's alright, Luke assured him. I've been through worse.

The two of them took the lead as the battle commenced, blue-green blaster bolts burning forth. Anakin frowned as Luke lurched and rolled out of the way of a pair of droid fighters.

Luke, something's wrong. I sense another Force presence on your ship. It's right behind you… somehow. There shouldn't be room for a person there, though?

Ben chuckled; Luke rolled his eyes. Nothing's wrong. It's just Ben.

Ben?

Right, with everything else we had to go over, I forgot to tell anyone about him. And the middle of battle really wasn't a good time for it. Nothing's wrong, I promise. I'll explain later, okay?

If you're sure…

The droids didn't know what hit them.

To be fully honest, neither did Luke.

Being so fully aware of another person was… disorienting, especially when he was also hyper-aware of Anakin's ship. Luke found it hard to focus on his own flying, twisting Obi-Wan's fighter through a rolling turn at the same time as he could feel Anakin performing an inside spin. It made him a bit dizzy, something Luke couldn't remember ever experiencing before while flying.

His aim was off, too. Luke's hands kept trying to mimic Anakin's in an unconscious move to reduce his disorientation, which made his manoeuvres shaky and caused him to fire off-centre. He even missed a few shots, which really wasn't like him. Luke shook his head, trying to get used to the sensation of sharing a mind.

It wasn't working.

I don't think this is a good idea for flying. He could understand how it would be useful fighting with a partner, always knowing when to defend each other and when to attack, but as a pilot, he just couldn't see the benefit, even if he did get over his dizziness, which he wasn't sure he would.

You're doing fine, Anakin assured him, rolling around Luke to shoot down a couple of droid fighters that were after Ahsoka. Luke rolled his eyes.

My hands are shaking, I'm dizzy, and my accuracy is down because I'm having a hard time sorting out what the Force is telling me from what it's telling you. And why does your head itch so much? Luke wasn't sure if feeling Anakin's itches was the worst part of this, but it was up there.

Well excuse me for not having grown my hair out as much as I'd like yet. Anakin responded to Luke's eye roll with one of his own. I've only been a knight for a few months; it's not done growing out of the stupid padawan cut. And yes, having short hair itches.

Huh… Padawans had to have a special haircut? Obi-Wan hadn't mentioned that. He'd taught Luke how to do the little braid, but there had been no mention of cutting his hair.

. . .

Maybe his mentor thought his father would protest. Which… Yeah, Vader probably would. The thought made Luke smile.

More blue-green bolts flashed past red. Even with lowered accuracy and reduced reactions, Luke thought he was doing an okay job shooting down the droid fighters before they could target the clone fighter-bombers.

The ion cannon on the near side of the Malevolence began to glow.

"They're preparing to fire," the deep voice from earlier observed. Luke couldn't wait to meet the Jedi attached to it; his presence was strong and calm and soft, like a mossy rock in sunshine.

"Are they targeting the medical facility?" One of the clones asked. Between the crackling of the comms and the fact that Luke wasn't familiar with most of the 501st yet, he wasn't sure whose question it was. Broadside, maybe?

It was Ahsoka who answered. "I don't think so… I think it's aimed at us!"

"Evasive manoeuvres!" Anakin yelled, leaving both Luke's ears and his Force presence ringing.

The Republic fighters fanned out immediately, breaking their already loose formation in favour of putting as much distance between each other as possible. This put the Malevolence at an immediate disadvantage—its giant ion cannon may have been a devastating weapon, but it could only be aimed at one target at a time. It was, Luke thought grimly, very much like trying to swat flies with the Death Star.

Luke dove as the light flashed. It threw his balance off—Anakin was climbing over the pulse somewhere above him—but he still managed to shoot down two droid fighters as he levelled out.

Ayfor whistled worriedly. The ion pulse had been far too close for comfort. Luke hummed, wishing he could reach out and pat her dome to comfort her.

"It's alright, girl. We'll get through this. Shooting down giant superweapons is my specialty."

Anakin's voice rang out again through the coms, thankfully quieter this time. "Anyone hit?"

"No Sir," a chorus of clone voices responded. Luke smiled, feeling Anakin's pride-relief-satisfaction as his own.

"Are you alright, Master?" Ahsoka retorted. "Your flying isn't up to your usual standards; that last vulture droid almost got you."

"I'm fine, Snips. Luke and I are just trying an experiment."

"It's not going well." Luke sent the impression of his disorientation over… he couldn't even tell if he was using his bond with Ahsoka or Anakin's.

"We're doing fine," Anakin insisted.

They could both feel Ahsoka's doubt and worry. "If you're sure, Master… Neither of you is flying quite like yourselves, though."

As if the Force was trying to prove her wrong, Luke and Anakin performed simultaneous barrel rolls, each blasting the wings off a droid fighter in the same moment. Of course, immediately afterwards, Luke had to perform emergency manoeuvres to keep from crashing into the Malevolence and Anakin took a glancing hit to his starboard wing, so there was that. Smoke streamed briefly from Anakin's wing as Artoo put out a small fire.

The ion cannon began to glow, charging again.

"We need to disable the ion cannon before they tire of trying to hit us and target the medical facility," said the Jedi Luke had yet to meet.

Luke's mind leapt immediately to the trenches of the Death Star, proton torpedoes firing down the exhaust shaft. He doubted the Malevolence had such a glaring weakness, though; rumours around Echo Base had been that someone had designed the Death Star to be easily exploded on purpose.

Anakin caught a flash of what he'd been thinking, responding with a psychic smirk. There may not be an exhaust port there, but enough torpedoes straight down the barrel oughta do the trick.

Oh. Oh yes, that would work.

Luke started to come around for a bombing run, angling the ship as he'd done countless times before. Even with Anakin living rent-free in his head, that particular angle of attack was easy to achieve, more muscle-memory than thought. The Death Star wasn't the only thing he'd had to blow up in his time with the Rebellion.

Warm tingling filled his shoulder as Ben moved to get his attention. Luke… Luke, that isn't going to work.

What? Why not?

Who's that? Anakin demanded, hearing Ben through Luke's mind. Luke shook his head; an ache was starting to grow at his temples.

I told you, it's Ben. I'll explain properly later. Luke focused on his old mentor. Ben, what do you mean this won't work? I've done bombing runs a hundred times before.

Yes, in your ship. Which this is not. Aethersprite-class interceptors aren't equipped with proton torpedoes.

. . .

Shavit.

Ship wobbling from the sudden movement, Luke pulled out of his attempted bombing run to take up a defensive position around one of the pairs of clone bombers. He could feel Anakin doing the same, and saw Ahsoka and the Jedi he had yet to meet shift into new positions as well.

A large shadow appeared out of hyperspace as Luke shot down a pair of droid fighters; it brought with it the sarcasm-affection-mixed confidence and uncertainty-determination that was Obi-Wan's Force presence. The Negotiator had arrived. Shadows shifted as the Venator-class star destroyer positioned itself to defend the medical facility.

The comms crackled. "Flyby in position; bombs away."

Two bright yellow flashes burst against the side of the Malevolence as the first bomber fired his torpedoes. Flyby was followed by his brothers in quick succession, the clones working as a well-oiled machine while the Jedi defended them from droid fighters. Ten runs; twenty torpedoes. Each hit its mark, or at least close to it. But the ion cannon continued to glow…

It hadn't been enough.

Luke both felt and heard Anakin speak. "Everyone, back around and regroup for a second pass." His voice was calm, but Luke could feel his concern. Then… "Luke, watch out! There's something on your tail!"

"I see it!" Through your eyes, which is still making me dizzy. Luke pulled up hard, looping over and around to fire on the droid ship. He'd aimed for the centre, but his disorientation led to him instead vapourizing its starboard wing, sending the droid fighter spiralling into the charging ion cannon.

Shadow Squadron was almost in position for a second bombing run when the ion cannon fired again. They scattered at the last second, warned by a crackling flash just before the weapon went off. Which hadn't happened last time. The ion burst narrowly missed both the Negotiator and the medical facility, although from the angle, neither had been the target of the attack. No, once again the Malevolence had been trying to target the fighters and bombers.

Then, as the beam was fading into space, the cannon exploded.

Shrapnel, heat, and light erupted across Luke's viewscreen. He pulled to the side reflexively, closing his eyes and reaching out with the Force to avoid hitting any other ships. Something struck his wing, then the rear of his ship; Ayfor whirred in alarm.

"3N61N35 D0WN! M41N P0W3R F4111N6! 50M37H1N6 15 0N F1R3, BU7 1 D0N'7 KN0W WH47 JU57 Y37!"

"Well, I hope you can figure it out quick!" There was no planet near enough to reach without an engine—at least, none with a breathable atmosphere—nowhere to bail out and crash. He could see Enarc off in the distance, but it was much too far… The only places to attempt a landing were the Negotiator or the medical facility, and even those felt like they might be too far away. Luke struggled to turn the Aethersprite towards the larger ships, but his steering wasn't working very well even as the auxiliary power kicked in.

Luke?

Not now, Anakin!

Luke!

Get out of my head! I need to concentrate!

Luke shoved Anakin out of his mind, slamming his shields up. The sudden disconnect was just as disorienting as the initial joining had been, leaving Luke with a throbbing ache behind his eyes. Although that might also have been from the flash of the ion cannon as it exploded.

Finally, finally he managed to aim his fighter at the Negotiator. Except… It was above him, and far, so far… Much further away than he'd thought. Ayfor screeched.

"W3'R3 N07 601N6 70 M4K3 17!"

"Concentrate on that fire, Ayfor; I'll handle the steering." Luke could feel heat at his back; it was probably the engine that was on fire. Which was… very not good. Ben, any ideas?

Unfortunately not. When your father crashed a ship, there was usually a planet underneath him. The Force ghost radiated worry and alarm, presence wavering as if he could barely hold himself together.

Then two shadows eclipsed the stars. The Defender and the Resolute had come out of hyperspace. Luke felt his father's presence on the latter, boiling over with worry-fear-rage-concern-denial. Despite what they'd been through, the promises Vader had made, Luke couldn't help but fear that someone was about to get murdered. Who, he wasn't entirely sure, but it definitely felt like his father wanted to kill someone.

Not good.

The Aethersprite started to shift upwards and sideways, caught in a tractor beam. Luke fought the urge to try and escape; with no engine and barely any steering, there was basically nothing he could have done. Besides, the beam was coming from the Resolute. As long as he could stop his father before Vader actually killed anyone, everything would be fine.

Probably.

A/N 2: I'm not happy with this chapter. I've been going back and forth over it for weeks, including asking some friends for advice. I am aware that this chapter has tone and pacing issues, being rather too introspective for what is technically a space dogfight, and is not up to my usual standards. However, despite nearly three weeks of struggle, I was not able to apply my friends' advice in a satisfying manner, so this is what I have. I apologise for the lowered quality in comparison to my usual offerings.