Captain Piett was seriously beginning to worry about Lord Vader. He had returned from Tatooine and had throttled three men in the fifteen minutes he'd been back on board the Executor. Captain Piett had certainly not expected quite the level of paternal devotion on the Sith's part that he had exhibited thus far.

"All spaceports on the planet have been closed, my lord," said a sergeant straight out of the Academy. "No reports have come of a TIE fighter, just the one, my lord."

Vader said nothing and waited for the officer to squirm, which he did.

"My lord… Is there anything else you would like me to do?"

Still Vader waited several moments before responding. "I would like you to find my son, sergeant," he said. "And you have not done so."

"My lord, we've done everything in our"—

The other officers winced as the sergeant's body dropped to the floor. Captain Piett stepped in. "Lord Vader, everything possible is being done to find him. All Star Destroyers have been notified and given a holo of the boy. Every main spaceport in the Galaxy has been put on watch for him. He will be found, my lord. I personally swear it."

Vader looked at Piett. "Very well," he said finally. "I will be in my quarters. However—I want all spaceports notified. We cannot be sure that only main ones will be used." With that, he strode out of the conference room, and everyone breathed a sigh of relief.

The captain took out his commlink and called the department of the ship's maintenance. "There is another body to collect, Private Jent," he said wearily."

"Another one, sir?"

"Yes, Private. And please do not forget the droid remnants in the main hangar."

"Yes, sir. I won't, sir."

Piett looked around at the assembly of officers. "I suggest that we continue working," he said finally. "I do not think that Lord Vader will be in a better mood until his son is found."

Luke opened his eyes and saw Dase fallen on the ground. He was dead. He felt horror rise up in him just as Dase disappeared, and became Jisk.

"Why did you kill me, Lord Skywalker?" Jisk croaked. "I didn't do anything!"

Luke didn't know what to say. "Jisk," he began. "I'm sorry!" But Jisk disappeared before he could apologize, and became Jons.

"I thought you were going to save me, Lord Skywalker!" Jons cried out. "I didn't mean to annoy you, I swear!"

And then it was Vaskall, who looked sadly at him. "Lord Skywalker, you had such potential to be a great flier. Why did you have to kill me? Now we can never fly together again."

And then Luke realized that he was staring at Aunt Beru, not Vaskall. "Why did you kill me, Luke? Don't you remember? I raised you until you were thirteen! I loved you like you were my son! Why did you become Darth Vader? What did I do?"

And then it was a different woman, one with curly hair and beautiful eyes. She stared up at Luke from her fallen position on a landing platform. Luke realized that he was no longer in the mess hall, but on Mustafar. Luke saw that she was pregnant, but, unlike the others, she didn't speak. She just stared at him.

Luke woke up with a start. His forehead was clammy and his breathing harsh and erratic. At least he hadn't dreamed Mustafar or the operating table, but that had been almost as bad. Why had they called him 'Lord Skywalker?'" Did it mean that he was going to become a Sith, that it was inevitable? Was he going to become like his father? Luke took several deep breaths as an effort to calm himself. And who was the woman at the end?

Luke held his head in his hands. Was it too late for him, now? Was he doomed to be a Sith forever? "I'm sorry," he whispered to no one in particular. "I didn't mean to kill him."

"Hey, Skywalker! We're there!" Han called. Luke cleared his head using the Force and walked into the cockpit. "Welcome to Alderaan," said Han with a grin as they descended into a large, bustling spaceport. "They've got amazing wine here," Han explained. "It's galaxy-famous. It's in high demand, too, for every type of people," he explained. "Which is where I come in."

"Of course," said Luke, holding his lightsaber protectively. He didn't know why, but he had a bad feeling about the spaceport, despite Han's obvious excitement.

Suddenly Chewie growled something at Luke, who stared back blankly. "Ah, he says not to use your"—Han paused and scratched his head. "His what?" he turned back to the wookiee. "His light sword?" He turned back to Luke, bewildered. "I dunno what he's on about," he explained. "First he was sayin' you needed help, and now he's talking about some light sword…"

"Lightsaber," Luke corrected, showing Han the weapon that his father had made.

Han glanced at it. "Don't look much like a sword to me," he commented. "How much do they go for?"

Luke's eyes darkened. "It's not for sale, Han."

"Ah, fine," said Han with a shrug. "You ready to go get some Alderaani wine?"

Luke shrugged. Maybe he could find another, slightly more legal transport to wherever Obi-Wan wanted him to go.

They stepped off of the battered freighter and immediately Luke felt the hair stand up on his neck. He was being followed, he knew it.

A squad of stormtroopers marched up to them. "Sir, you and your ship must undergo a search. Please allow all members of your crew to be searched," said the first one.

"Hey, hold on just a sec, here," Han said. "Who are you and since when does Alderaan scan everything in sight?"

With a sinking feeling in his stomach, Luke carefully observed the stormtroopers. One of them had a holo-projector in his hand, and another had a full-ship scanner. Luke winced. "Han…" he said quietly.

The smuggler glanced at him. "What?"

"It's the Imperials," Luke whispered. "Looking for me."

"Why? You'd think they'd look for the TIE before you," said Han. "S'more expensive, anyway."

"Yes, but"—

"Don't worry about it," said Han reassuringly. "Just go through with the scan." He pushed Luke towards the stormtroopers. The one with the holo-projector walked up and turned it on, and Luke winced as he recognized himself.

"Sir, we've got a match," said the stormtrooper, seeming pleased. "Lord Vader has been most displeased with your departure, Mr. Skywalker."

"Listen, I'm not Luke Skywalker, I don't know what you're talking about," Luke began quickly. "Leave me alone!"

"Hold on, there," said Han suddenly. "Why would the big guy want Skywalker anyway? What'd he do?"

The stormtrooper glanced at Han. "Sir, you're under arrest for kidnapping of Luke Skywalker. You will be turned into the custody of Lord Vader." He procured a pair of binders, but Han backed away, looking scared.

"What's going on here?" He asked, attempting to display bravado.

"Han, I'm sorry…" Luke said, looking sincerely remorseful. "I shouldn't have come with you…"

Suddenly Chewbacca stepped forward with a growl. "Sir, you're going to have to remove the wookiee," said the first stormtrooper nervously, holding out his blaster.

"Chewie moves himself if he wants," Han snapped. "Kid, what's goin' on? Why does Vader want you?" Luke hung his head and mumbled something, and Chewie let out a roar. "What?" Han asked, aghast. "You're his kid?"

Luke turned away. "I'm sorry," he mumbled.

Han looked at Luke and the stormtroopers with fear. "Kid, you gotta get them to let me go," he said. "I don't know what's goin' on here, but I don't believe you. You can't be. I didn't even think that he was human!"

"Sir, we're going to bring you before Lord Vader and he will decide your punishment," said a stormtrooper, walking up to Han.

"No!" Luke shouted angrily. "He didn't do anything!"

"Mr. Skywalker, you are now in our custody"—the first stormtrooper began, but stopped when Luke jumped in front of Han and extended the lightsaber.

"Get out of here," Luke snapped. "Leave him, and me, alone!"

The stormtroopers were clearly nervous about the weapon. "Mr. Skywalker, you are outnumbered," one said. "If you attack Imperial soldiers"—

"You'll die if you attack me," said Luke. "If I don't kill you, my father will."

It seemed that one of the stormtroopers had let out a distress call, because soon two more squads of stormtroopers marched up to surround Han, Chewie, and Luke.

"Kid…" said Han, reaching for his blaster. "I…"

"Be quiet, Han," said Luke tightly. Could he get the smuggler out of this? He had done nothing but help Luke. He didn't deserve to be charged with kidnapping. He sighed. "If you let him go, I'll come quietly."

"Kid, are you crazy? Vader will kill you!" Han shouted.

"He wouldn't kill me," said Luke, though he didn't sound so sure of himself. "Do we have a deal?"

"Mr. Skywalker, our expressed orders are to detain you and all of your accomplices," said a stormtrooper, clearly unhappy.

"Well, forget them!" Luke said. "He trained me to use this, you know!" he told them, waving his lightsaber a few times. The stormtroopers shuffled back.

Suddenly blaster fire flew past Luke's shoulder and hit one of the stormtroopers, who immediately drew their own. "Come on, get'em, kid!" Han shouted.

Luke turned around and paled once he saw that Han had drawn his blaster. "What are you doing? I was trying to get your out of their hands, and now you practically just guaranteed your death sentence!"

Han didn't give any indication that he had heard him.. "Come on, use your saber thing!"

But Luke had fallen to the ground, his knee caught by blaster fire from one of the stormtroopers.

The action stopped immediately, and the leading stormtrooper turned towards the one who fired the shot. "Our orders were that he must be brought in alive, with no injuries," the clone said. "You have just disobeyed orders, and condemned our entire squad!"

Luke moaned from his spot on the ground, and clutched his knee. His lightsaber was still clutched in his hand, but he had deactivated it. "Leave Han alone, and I'll save your lives," he mumbled through his pain.

The stormtroopers considered his offer. "Deal, Mr. Skywalker."

Two of them walked forward and picked up Luke, supporting him. They put binders on his wrists and took the lightsaber from him. "Now let him get back on the ship," Luke instructed, but the troopers didn't move. He stared at them.

"Sir, you are under Imperial arrest," said a stormtrooper, marching forward and clasping Han's stunned hands in binders.

"Hey, wait a sec!" Han cried. "You're supposed to lemme go!"

"What are you doing?" Luke yelled, trying to get away from the troopers. "You said that you'd let him go!"

Three troopers shot stun blasters at Chewie, who dropped to the ground with a thundering boom. They turned their weapons to the struggling Han. Soon, he too fell to the ground, unconscious. Luke just stared at them as he was dragged away.

Captain Piett saw he had an incoming call on his commlink. Almost dreading it, he pressed the 'receive' button and a holo projected itself. "Sir, we need another aide to Lord Vader, sir."

Piett winced. It had been a day since Vader's son had disappeared, and the Dark Lord's rage had not abated at all. In fact, it seemed as though he was getting worse. "I will inform the personnel office, Private Bekt."

The private nodded his head and disappeared and Piett stared at the datascreen in front of him that indicated the regions of the galaxy that had been scoured for the boy. Was it a coincidence that he had disappeared on Tatooine, his homeworld? Perhaps the boy knew the land better than they did, and was able to hide from troopers.

He sighed and took a sip of the regenerating drink that his aide had brought him. He had been working non-stop, which seemed ludicrous considering that he was the admiral of the ship, but… Lord Vader's orders had to be followed. He sighed again and clicked on the next region, hoping that perhaps the boy had found his way onto the core worlds.

When Han and Chewie came to, they were sharing a poorly lit cell with one window that affirmed that they were in space. Han winced as he roused himself, feeling a massive headache. "Ah, I'm fine," he muttered to Chewie, who had inquired as to Han's health.

Luke was also in the cell, with a rudimentary bandage on his knee and his head in his arms. He was not sleeping, that much Han could tell. "Hey, kid."

He glanced upwards, and Han could faintly see the traces of tears on his cheeks. With a jolt, he remembered that despite the lightsaber and the big words, he was still only a kid. "You okay?"

Luke shrugged. "Better than I will be," he muttered. "I'm really sorry, Han."

Han said nothing for a few moments. "I'll find my way outta this somehow," he said with false bravado. "Jus' gotta escape Vader first." He shivered. "He really your father?"

Luke nodded slowly. "I should have told you."

"Yeah, and I wouldna let you within a light-year of me," said Han. He frowned. "Has he got as bad a temper as they say? Like, he can choke people without touchin' em and stuff? That wizard stuff?"

"It's not 'wizard stuff!'" Luke said indignantly. "It's the Force!"

Han rolled his eyes unbelievingly. "Whatever you say, kid. Is he?"

Luke thought a moment. "Hopefully I'll be able to convince him to let you live," he said thoughtfully. "But… since the stormtroopers hurt me, he won't exactly be in a good mood."

Han stared at him, mouth slightly open. "So he really is your father?"

Luke glared at the smuggler. "Yes."

"How'd you come to live with him, though?" Han asked. "What happened to your mother?"

Luke's eyes narrowed. "She's dead."

"Then who'd you live with? You haven't been with him your whole life, have you? And why'd you steal the TIE, anyway?"

Han's questions drew closer and closer to the facts that Luke was absolutely certain he didn't want to talk about. He turned away. "If the Executor is still orbiting Tatooine, we've got a while to go," he said distantly. His leg throbbed. "I'm going to go to sleep."

"Now, hold on, kid!" Han protested. "Why won't you tell me?"

"I don't want to talk about it," Luke said crossly. "Just leave me alone."

"Come on, kid," Han persisted. "What is it?"

Luke turned on him, a vicious light shining in his eyes. "He killed my family, all right?" He held up his right hand. "He cut off my hand. And then I killed someone, for no good reason. That's why I ran away. That's why I stole the TIE. You satisfied?"

Han gaped at Luke. The angry light seemed to fade from the boy's eyes, and he held his head in his hand, breathing deeply to try and calm himself. "I don't even want it," he said miserably. "I don't want to be his apprentice anymore. I don't want to be like he is, but I think I already am."

Han could do nothing but stare at him.

Captain Piett turned off the holo with a sigh of relief. At least, the tightness, the nervousness in his breast faded. The boy had been found in a spaceport on Alderaan, and had apparently threatened the troopers with a lightsaber like Lord Vader's. He rubbed his eyes, and began to make the call.

"What is it, Piett?" Vader's deep voice asked. Piett fought to subdue the shudder that the man produced.

"Lord Vader, your son has been found and detained," said Piett quickly, hoping to get to the point as easily as possible. "He was found on Alderaan. He is on his way back to the Executor as we speak."

It was Piett's imagination, or the Sith's respirator let out a particularly loud breath. "Good work, Captain," said the man. "See to it that I am notified upon his arrival."

By the time that the ship finally exited hyperspace, Luke was sure that his knee was infected. The blaster fire had shot clean through his kneecap, and while a scab had covered the wound at both openings, the joint was swollen and inflamed. Luke could hardly move it without pain. He had spent most of his time sleeping, and attempting to meditate using the Light Side of the Force, but to no avail. He realized that the guilt, pain, and fear of seeing his father were making it nearly impossible for him to access the side that had been so calming the one time his father had used it.

Han hadn't spoken to him much. He either seemed to realize that Luke needed time alone, or he was scared of him. Luke hoped it was the former, but he wouldn't be surprised if it was both. The smuggler spent his time in quiet conversation with the wookiee, and Luke only caught half of the conversation, when he was tempted to listen.

Finally, the door to their cell opened and two stormtroopers entered. Chewie immediately bristled and stood, his mass dwarfing the cell. Luke sat up from his position and it was to him that the troopers spoke. "We have docked in the Executor, Mr. Skywalker," said one of them. "You are to come with us."

Knowing it was pointless to resist, Luke nodded and stood, keeping his weight off his injured leg. The troopers gripped his elbows and helped him out of the cell. After his departure, ten more troopers entered the cell, one with binders.

"Hey, wait a sec," said Han, realizing his predicament. "What do ya think you're doin'?"

"Sir, you're to come with us," said the stormtrooper. "Do not make us use force."

Han was intelligent enough to know that he was no match for ten troopers without his blaster, and that Chewie would easily be overtaken by blaster fire. Sighing, he stood. "All right," he muttered, and held out his hands.

In a matter of what seemed like seconds, Han and Chewie both were escorted into a gigantic room that had several stormtroopers standing at attention. There were also three other men in uniforms that indicated high rank. Han swallowed. Would Vader come to greet his son personally?

He was brought up to stand behind Luke, whose head was drooping in between the two troopers that supported him. Han swallowed nervously, his throat suddenly dry. What were they waiting for?

His unspoken question was soon after as echoing footsteps suddenly reached all their ears. He noticed Luke's shoulders tighten. The hangar went completely silent, and for the first time in his life, Han heard the infamous mechanized breathing that was just barely perceptible on the holos.

Chewie beside him uttered a low growl and one of the troopers in front of him gave him a swift kick to keep him silent.

And then Han froze in fear.

Darth Vader walked up to them, his cloak fanning out behind him, the terrifying mask the stuff of nightmares. At his side was a metal cylinder Han knew to be a lightsaber. He swallowed again as the Dark Lord approached him.

"Did you have a nice trip, my son?" he hissed.

Luke looked up at his father and said nothing, whereas Han couldn't suppress a shudder at the voice. How could he be the father of the boy that stood in front of Han?

Suddenly the Sith's demeanor seemed to change, and somehow, the room grew colder. At his sides, Han noticed that his gloved hands were clenched. "The squad who detained my son step forward."

The stormtroopers holding onto Han and Chewie let go and shuffled forward towards Vader and organized a quick formation.

"Did I not give the expressed order that he was not to be harmed in any way?"

The anger in Vader's voice was unmistakable, even through the mask. "My lord, it was an accident," began one stormtrooper quickly.

"I do not tolerate accidents of any kind," said Vader. The stormtroopers said nothing until one bravely spoke up.

"My lord… He possessed a lightsaber at the time of his capture," said the one, walking forward to present the weapon to Vader, who raised his hand. Impossibly, it seemed to fly to his hand. Han blinked once, twice. Impossible.

They waited for several moments while Vader seemed to have frozen as he inspected the weapon. Finally, he hooked it onto his belt. "I wish to understand just why my orders regarding my son's treatment were disregarded."

The stormtrooper was obviously nervous. "My lord, his companion opened fire and my squad retaliated. It seems that Mr. Skywalker was caught in the crossfire."

Vader strode forward and gripped the man's neck beneath his mask and lifted him into theair. "That is unacceptable," he said, his voice echoing throughout the room. Han just watched, entranced and terrified.

"Father, don't!" Luke suddenly cried out. Vader turned towards his son and flung the stormtrooper into the wall with inhuman strength. The clone slid to the floor, unmoving. Han flinched. Would that be him?

"Take my son to the medbay," Vader instructed. Once Luke was removed, he turned to Han and Chewie. He walked towards them. "You kidnapped my son," he said, clearly angry.

"Sir, we—ah—didn't know that he was yours," said Han quickly. "He was just a kid, asking for passage, I didn't know. You gotta believe me!"

"Regardless, you are a smuggler," said Vader. "Take them to holding cells," he commanded, and then stalked out of the room. Han thought that every single man in the place let out audible sighs.

A smuggler? His son had taken up with a smuggler, of all things? Vader walked quickly through the halls. He had killed Obi-Wan Kenobi, so that was a victory to be reported to his master. Still, he hadn't gotten the satisfaction from the act that he had anticipated, in light of his son's subsequent avoidance of his father. Had Obi-Wan managed to influence him with the Jedi filth?

Vader hoped not, but Luke's presence in the Force had changed subtly. He felt older, wiser, more informed. And when he had cried out for him to stop choking the stormtrooper, that had been almost concrete proof. Could his son have betrayed him after everything? Even though he knew what had happened to his father at the hands of the Jedi?

Vader clenched his fists. If Obi-Wan had managed to take his son from him once more… Vader didn't allow himself to complete the thought as he entered the communications chamber. Collecting himself, he entered the access codes and moved to the broadcast pad, kneeling down.

"What news have you to report, my friend?" The croak of the Emperor gave Vader the assurance that it was acceptable for him to stand. He stood.

"I went to the surface of Tatooine," said Vader slowly. "And found that Obi-Wan Kenobi had taken residence there."

"Ah…" said the Sith. "Excellent. Did you dispose of him, my friend?"

"Yes, master."

"The revenge must have been sweet," Palpatine hissed. "Why were you on Tatooine, Lord Vader?"

The question was a surprise, but Vader had no choice but to tell the truth. Should he wish to lie, it had to be a lie crafted in advance. "My son stole a TIE fighter and went to the surface," he began. "After killing a boy in anger."

The despot laughed, the sound filling the chamber. "I see. Did he make contact with Kenobi?"

How had the man predicted that? Vader didn't want to answer. What would it mean for Luke if he did? "I believe so, my lord. I recovered him this afternoon, however."

"Then he has been contaminated," said Palpatine, his voice suddenly harsh and dangerous.

"Master, I am sure that he remains loyal"—Vader began, the chill of the Dark Side emanating from the holo of Palpatine.

"No. Kenobi was cunning, he will have influenced the boy."

For a second, Vader felt something that he had not in over a decade. Real fear. It began in his stomach and spread to his entire body, keeping him stock-still.

"He must be destroyed. Report back to me when the boy is dead."

He had to kill his son.

His son.

Inquisitive, happy Luke Skywalker.

His son.

Vader stood for several minutes long after the Emperor's holo had disappeared, completely stunned. Was this some kind of test of his loyalty? Was this a last measure to make sure that his servant harbored no feelings for the child of Anakin Skywalker?

Vader was nauseated. It was unthinkable. As soon as he had found out that the boy was his son to begin with, he had been bowled over by guilt over the boy's hand. And now his master was trying to make him kill Luke? Kill the child of his own flesh and blood? To make it worse, Vader knew that this sickening idea was just a game with Palpatine—the Sith certainly had no qualms about destroying those with whom he was close—Naboo was proof of that.

And he had ordered Vader to kill his only son, the last remaining link to Anakin Skywalker and to Padmé Naberrie.

What would Padmé think?

Vader closed that train of thought quickly. He could not afford to think about her. Right now, the problem was his son, lying in the medbay somewhere while droids tended to his knee. That alone was enough to make Vader want to kill every single trooper that had merely looked at his son, and here he was, supposed to kill the boy?

He had done nothing wrong.

The Emperor merely wanted him dead because he was afraid of the consequences of his loyalty to his father rather than to him.

Vader curled his lip in disgust. At the beginning, he had been ordered to kill Jedi. Then Rebels. Then criminals. Those deaths were ones he agreed with because they were all necessary to insure the eventual peace and order of the Galaxy. But this—his son—it would do nothing to contribute to that dream. It would merely appease the mind of his master. Who was he to make such a decision? Who was he to lay down the death sentence for Vader's son?

He could not kill Luke. The very idea sickened him.

But what else could he do?

There was no possible way he could disobey his master outright. That would be treason—both against the Empire and the Sith Order. There was no possible way that he could kill Luke.

He was at a stalemate.

Unless… Vader was hit with an idea. What if…?

Luke sensed his father's presence nearing him and attempted to quell his wildly beating heart. How much trouble would he be in? Would he find out about his meeting with Obi-Wan? Was he really corrupted, like Obi-Wan had told him? He clamped down on his thoughts just as his father, as tall and as imposing as ever, strode inside.

"Father, I'm sorry"—he began, but stopped when the Sith raised a hand.

"Don't waste my time with apologies," he said shortly. "How is your knee?"

Luke inspected it. "It's fine. The droids repaired it easily."

"Good. Listen to me, Luke, you can no longer stay with me," said Vader, and for the first time in his life, Luke thought that he heard a note of desperation in his father's mechanically aided voice.

"What? Why?" he asked once he found his voice, astounded. He had accepted his father's imminent anger, but to be kicked out entirely?

Luke felt a wave of agitation roll out from his father as the man clasped his hands behind his back and began to pace. "I have just been ordered to kill you," he said finally, and it was as though an iron vice had clapped down on Luke's heart.

"What? You're going to…?" Luke asked weakly, suddenly more afraid of his father than ever before. Obi-Wan had been right! His father would kill him!

"Of course not," said Vader irritably, turning to face his son. Luke wished more than ever that he could see his father's expression. "I would never hurt you."

Luke let out a breath that he hadn't known he'd been holding. "Then what…?"

"You must leave the ship," said Vader. "As soon as possible."

"Where can I go?" Luke asked, astonished.

"You must help the smuggler and his wookiee friend to escape," said Vader firmly. "I have seen to it that the ship has been properly outfitted, both with credits and fuel. I want you to allow him to transport you somewhere where you will be safe."

Luke had never been more surprised at his father than at that moment. "You must survive, Luke," Vader continued. "I would not be able to forgive myself if you died."

"I won't," said Luke slowly. "What'll happen to me?"

"I don't know," said Vader as he took his son's hand and helped him to stand. He looked at his son for a moment, and then reached for his belt and unclipped the lightsaber that he had assembled so long ago. "Here. Use this for protection," he said, handing the weapon to his son, who looked at it with a mixture of surprise and relief.

Luke stared up at his father. "Is it really yours?"

Vader hesitated. Admitting the truth meant that he believed himself to be Anakin once more, which was unacceptable, but he had no desire to lie to his son. "It once was," he said finally, settling for a half-truth. "Go to your chambers and get what you need," he instructed. "There is a changing of the guard in the brig at 1900 hours. That is when your best chance to escape with the smuggler is," he said.

Luke nodded and clutched the lightsaber. "I will see you again, Father," he said firmly. "And then you will come back to the Light."

Vader was rendered speechless for a few moments. "It is too late for me, my son," he said finally, ashamed at the part of him that longed to do as he son said. "Do not try to contact me," he said firmly. "I will be forced to follow you."

Luke nodded in understanding. "Go now. You do not have long." Vader rested a hand on his son's shoulder and then removed it, his heart heavy.

Luke flashed him a sad smile and then left, using the Force to cloak his movements through the hall.

Vader left the medbay a few minutes later, heading towards the brig. He didn't notice the small figure that slunk out of the medbay seconds after he had left.

Han looked up hopefully as the door to his cell opened with a hiss, but his hopes quickly dissipated as the absolute last person he wanted to see in the entire Galaxy stepped through the door. "Listen, your lordship, I didn't know he was your kid, okay? I'm sorry!" He was dry-mouthed as he tried to talk his way out of the grisly death he was sure was coming.

"Be quiet, Solo," said Vader. "I am not here to kill you. And I certainly would not decapitate you with my bare hands, even if I was."

Han was speechless. How had the man known his thoughts?

"I am here, however, to tell you two things," said Vader. "As much as the idea disgusts me, you are to take my son with you. I want you to protect him at all costs. Take him wherever he desires to go. I have placed one hundred thousand credits as payment on your ship.."

Han simply stared at the giant. "You mean…?"

"Secondly," Vader continued, ignoring Han, "In approximately thirty minutes, the guards will change and there will be a temporary lapse of security. My son is coming down here to help you to escape." He stood and swept back his cloak to reveal a blaster. He handed it to Han, who accepted the high-quality weapon in surprise. "Use this. Tell no one of Luke's parentage, and protect the information as much as you would him," Vader said. "This conversation did not occur. Am I understood?"

It was all Han could do to nod.

Luke quickly dressed in new clothes and packed a small bag. For once, he was grateful that he had no true personal belongings—trying to pack them would be difficult. In the end, he settled for the mouse droid, his commlink, a few tools, and a small datapad. He shoved everything into a bag along with a change of clothes and slung it over his shoulder, lightsaber at his hip. Taking a deep breath, he reached out for the Force and used it to dull the senses of the guards patrolling the hallway. He opened the door and slipped out, running the way to the brig.

"It's fine if I go inside," Luke said breathlessly to a guard, inserting a bit of the Force.

"It's fine if you go inside," the stormtrooper parroted back at him. Luke ran inside, just in time to see Han and Chewie run down the hallway, Han clutching a blaster.

"Come on, kid, we ain't got too much time!" Han said, not looking surprised to see him in the least. Luke nodded and turned, back, his hand on the hilt of his lightsaber.

Chewie took care of the lone guard with a hard hit to his helmet and Luke led the way down the hallway, taking the fastest of the many routes to the side hangar, where he knew they would have placed Han's ship. He used the Force to cloak himself so that no one would notice his presence and would only see the wookiee and the smuggler. With surprisingly little resistance, they finally made it onto the Millenium Falcon. Han and Chewie slid into the pilot's and co-pilot's chair and Luke sat down in the lounge, noting with interest the several large crates that hadn't been there earlier.

"Quick, Chewie, they're sendin' out more stormies! We gotta get outta here! Fire at the hatch or somethin'!"

Caught with an idea, Luke jumped up and moved to the cockpit. Focussing on the Force, he reached out and brought the hatch open like he had with the TIE fighter. Han stared at him in disbelief until Chewie roared something and he jerked back to the task at hand. In an instant, he had fired the engines and gotten the Falcon airborne, despite the laser fire from the stormtroopers.

Two minutes later, they were in hyperspace, and for the first time since he had learned that his father still lived, Luke felt completely alone.

END BOOK ONE