Thanks for the fantastic feedback! I hope you all forgive me as this fic screams towards its conclusion. Satisfaction can no longer be guaranteed.
CHAPTER FOUR
I do not like this.
Relax. This will throw them off long enough for you to slip through and get to Leia.
No, it will not. You will have to face those armed and very disgruntled Rebels.
I'm a Rebel, remember?
So was your sister, and she's waiting to be executed. She didn't lie about my death and run away with me to Coruscant either, let me remind you.
Luke pressed the ramp release and watched as the artificial light of Home One filtered into the shuttle. The light was lost in the shadows of the hood shrouding his face. He pressed his lips together and placed his foot on the ramp.
I do not like this.
So you've said. So stop complaining and focus on helping me deflect any laserfire. Spooking them is the best chance we have at gaining the upper hand.
Vader was silent, making Luke's step almost falter.
Father?
I think Leia and your smuggler friend have escaped.
Why?
They're hiding by the entrance to the left.
Oh.
Luke was now in the sights of over a hundred soldiers scattered throughout the landing bay. He bit back a curse. There were far too many directions to defend. He kept his head bent down and came to a stop at the bottom of the ramp, his cloak swaying at his feet.
"I wish to speak with Lord Vader," Borsk Fey'lya's voice echoed throughout the cavernous space. "Where is he?"
Luke tilted his head and swept his eyes over the landing bay. "Where are you?"
There was no response.
"You are not hiding, are you? The illustrious leader of the righteous Rebel Alliance, hiding?"
"Who are you, boy?" Fey'lya's terse voice replied.
Luke smiled.
oOo
"Can we get to the shuttle without them seeing us?" Lando asked.
Leia nodded, her eyes glued to the figure standing at the bottom of the boarding ramp.
"Wait," Xelar whispered. "You want to go with Lord Vader? What the heck happened while I was in that cell?"
Han patted the young man on the shoulder. "We'll explain it all to ya when we get out of here," he crept up behind Leia and looked over her shoulder. "How'dya think we're gettin' out of here?"
"Him."
"Who?"
"Me."
Lando, Han, and Xelar turned around so quickly at the sound of the familiar voice that they almost fell over onto one another and blew their cover.
"Vader!"
The Sith Lord nodded from where he was crouched behind a stack of used fuel cells. He held up his right hand to indicate that he had them covered, and then waved them towards him with his left.
Han glanced at Leia. "Are you sure about this?"
"No, but he's the only one not trying to kill us right now, so I'm prepared to take my chances."
Han shrugged. "You've got a point."
The group crept across the open area between their cover and the Dark Lord, and breathed a sigh together as they were all concealed again behind tangible protection.
Han turned to the Dark Lord with his mouth open and finger raised, but Leia cut him off.
"Who is that?" she gestured towards the man taunting Borsk Fey'lya's cowardice.
Vader regarded the figure for a moment in silence before looking back at his daughter. "That's your brother."
Her eyes widened hopefully. "He's alive?" she whispered.
Vader nodded. "Did you honestly think I'd let him come to harm?"
Leia furrowed her brow, and opened her mouth.
Vader held up his hand. "Never mind. I'd prefer you didn't answer that."
oOo
Luke studied the soldiers positioned around him trying to probe them lightly. They were agitated by his appearance. Clearly they'd been ordered to kill Vader; they weren't expecting him, exactly as he had planned. Luke smiled. Now, he only hoped that he hadn't been labeled a traitor; likely Fey'lya had kept that quiet: he needed his martyred Jedi Knight.
He reached up to his throat, moving his hand slowly as not to excite any trigger-happy soldiers; he unclasped his cloak and let it fall around his feet. He stood silently, dressed all in black with his lightsaber hanging at his side, and allowed his former comrades to digest what they were seeing. He heard murmurs, and even heard his name. He kept his face passive and waited.
"Commander Skywalker!" Fey'lya's voice rang out again. "How wonderful to see you safe! Have you defeated Vader and returned to us?"
"The definitions of victory and defeat are now… complicated for me, Sir," Luke called back.
The troops shifted restlessly; Luke drew a deep breath and absorbed his surroundings. His father was shielding Han, Leia, and two others as they hurried to the shuttle. He kept his face expressionless as the four crept behind him and boarded the ship without notice. He felt his father stop behind him.
Board the shuttle, father.
You first.
"Where is he, Skywalker?" Fey'lya's voice spat from his hiding place.
Luke's eyes swept the immense room again.
His voice sounds like it's coming from a speaker, Luke informed his father.
Yes.
If we disable it, he'll have no way to communicate with these troops, and they won't fire on me without a command.
Vader closed his eyes, and suddenly the satisfying sound of crushing metal echoed around the bay.
Luke smirked. Very nice. Now get out of sight.
You're an insolent child, Vader snapped, but moved up the ramp anyway.
Thank you.
I'm only doing this because you'll be caught in the crossfire if they fire at me.
I wasn't thanking you for boarding the shuttle; I was thanking you for noticing my finest feature.
Finally alone, Luke let his eyes meet those of his former comrades and friends. He looked at them sadly, apologetically.
"I know that to some of you the events that will follow this day will never make sense. You will feel confused, betrayed, and angry; indescribably angry. I ask you to try to look at tomorrow with new eyes. Try to not judge with your old prejudices in place… And try to forgive me. I'm only doing what I think is best for all of us."
His audience was silent, but he could feel the Force swirling around him. He'd touched them. They'd heard him, and perhaps they wouldn't feel quite so desolate when their Jedi hero is crowned prince of Vader's new Empire.
He took a step back and held up his hand, sending a wave of calm and reassurance towards the confused mass of soldiers with their weapons half raised. Caught up in his first moment of inspiring an audience, Luke missed the one soldier with an earpiece wired to his helmet. He missed the whispered command.
But he did not fail to notice the blaster bolt that slammed into his shoulder, nor his back slamming into the durasteel ramp as he fell. He stared straight up at the lights hanging over him, counterfeit stars blinding him as his consciousness began to slip away.
Then there was black, and a terrible roar. Luke felt the tender touch of fabric against his cheek and blinked; the darkness was not oblivion, it was his father's cloak. His father who was standing over him with his red blade unsheathed to defend him.
"Father…" he whispered, as he was lifted and dragged up the ramp.
oOo
Vader felt nothing but pure fury. He let the euphoria of the rage wash through him, then he ignited his blade and waited for the volley of fire to come. Luke was right, where the soldiers were hesitant and unsure with how to handle Luke, they were single-minded in dealing with Vader. They wanted him dead, and every Rebel in the landing bay showed that sentiment with vigor. The onslaught was unrelenting, and Vader's Force-shield and lightsaber could only block so many before…
One got through.
Two got through.
Three – four – five – six….
Vader fell to his knees, and then to the floor.
oOo
"FATHER!"
"Luke, no!" Leia clutched her brother tightly. "There's nothing we can do!"
Luke struggled against her as the Rebels began to fire upon their father. She couldn't bring herself to fear for him, but her heart broke for her twin shaking in her arms. When Vader was hit the first time, they both gasped, and Leia felt the tears begin to fall as he was hit again, and again.
And then the Sith Lord was on his knees.
It was a whisper and a roar all at once, but it was on Luke's lips as he watched his father fall:
"No."