Chapter 2 of our saga with our intrepid hero and his dark father served with a side of the loyal Piett. A bit on the short side but I came to a good stopping point so there you have it. Enjoy.

Luke's dreams were as vivid and disturbing as ever. In his drug encumbered dreams, he was bound by sharp cord of wire that seemed to burn and chill his core at the same time. He was floating in darkness, a void that expanded around him like a womb of pain and loneliness. The only light that was visible in the dark was a small beacon of red that twinkled in the distance like a solitary star. As every night before, Luke had begun to squirm and swim his way towards the light. The light promised safety and a moment's rest. He wasn't sure how he knew it but he knew that if he could only reach the light the pain that caused him to feel so empty and alone might be abated some. So onward he struggled.

As he passed through the depths of the dark visions would appear out of nowhere. They were visions of the past, his childhood, his finding the droids, him holding his father's lightsaber for the first time, his father. They would appear and swirl around him, the noise of voices weaving around him like a web. One voice, however, was always loudest. One voice always made its way to the forefront of the mayhem. It was the unmistakable deep, mechanical voice of Darth Vader. It had been nearly two months since Luke found out about his father and over that time he had learned to accept what Vader had told him. He had found peace within the tumult of emotions that had ruled him for several days after the revelation and lose of his hand. In his dreams the voice would repeat conversations that they had had but it would also diverge from past memories and speak to Luke directly. No one else was able to do that. It frightened Luke.

The red beacon in the distance was growing, solidifying and molding into the shape it always molded into, though it came as a surprise to Luke every time. It was Vader. He was sitting in his meditation chamber, surrounded by an ethereal glowing red light. The first time Luke had dreamed of Vader he had seen him without his helmet. The man had been sitting, legs crossed, arms to his side and mask sitting in his lap. Luke's pain had been unnoticeable for a moment as he stared upon the face of his father. Or was it the imagined face of his father. He could not distinguish between dream and reality.

His father's eyes were closed in meditation a look of mild peace on his face. His face was pale, dark circles etched under his eyes sticking out even more against the ghostly pallor of his skin. There was a large ragged scar that ran from the back of his head all the way over the left eye. It looked raw and painful. It frightened Luke to see his father so open and vulnerable. For so long Vader was the very image of fear and despair for Luke. Now, here he was resting and bearing the title of father. Luke drew nearer and Vader's eyes had snapped open, seeming to sense Luke's presence. His eyes were blue, a deep sea blue, restless and tired. They searched in the darkness for the disturbance and at last alighted upon Luke.

Luke was not sure whether or not Vader could see him but it appeared so. The two blues looked upon each other and for a moment they seemed to understand one another. Luke opened his mouth to speak, but found that the wires of fiery ice wrap themselves around his throat. They cut off his words and they cut off his air, making it seem impossible to breathe. He tried to reach out, to extend his hands in supplication towards to his father. He could not. Any movement cause Luke extreme pain and he found his voice in a scream as fire ripped through his body. That was all he could manage to scream and to writhe in pain as his father looked on with horror and confusion surfacing in his blue eyes. For a moment he hung there then slowly he began to withdraw. Something was pulling him back into reality. The chains what kept his connection to the force distant, were pulling him away from his father and away from the only comfort he had felt since his capture. He had awakened that day to harsh reality and yearned for sleep once more.

Now, almost every time he was able to sleep he visited his father. At times the man would be in meditation chamber, other times he seemed to be at work, though Luke could never see what his father was working on. Every time Luke was able to make contact with his father, he found himself unable to speak or reach out. Vader would watch as his son writhed in agony before him, desperate to explain their meeting, never able to. Until this night.

He had a last wriggled his way to his father's presence. Vader seemed to be waiting for him this time and already was facing Luke when he managed to make his way near his father. Vader was in his meditation chamber his helmet secured tightly on his head. Luke shifted as close as he could to the red glow around his father. He struggled and twisted in vain once again, his screams were shrill and empty in his ears. He wondered if his father could hear him or if he was screaming into the dark, alone.

Then Vader moved. As Luke watched he slowly extended his hand towards his son. Struggling more against the bonds holding him, desiring nothing more than to take the hand that had once be so detestable to him, Luke fought. Vader continued to hold his hand out as Luke moved against the shards of glass that held him. To his great surprise he felt his left hand begin to wriggle free of its bonds. On he fought, his focus always on his father's hand which extended just outside the glow of red light that surrounded him. With a strength that Luke could only summon in the moments when all else seemed hopeless, he wrenched his hand free of his bonds and flung it into his father's hand. Vader at once grasped tightly onto his son's hand and pulled him into the red circle of light. There Luke was suddenly aware of Vader's voice as though he had been speaking to Luke through the whole struggle.

"...breathe, little one. You are safe. Just breathe, Luke." Vader's voice brought Luke's mind to the moment and he felt more focused than he had in a long time. He became aware that he was hyperventilating, his breath coming in short rasping gasps. He made a conscious decision to slow his breath and take in an adequate amount of breathe. The chains that bound him still held his body but he found their strength loosened slightly.

"Luke," Vader drew his attention once he saw Luke's breathing calm some what, "Why have you come to me? What do you need, my son?" Dark tendrils of force snaked out from Vader and curled themselves around Luke. They seemed to be assessing Luke's situation and attempting to combat the restraints that held him. They worked their way up his body until they reached his throat. There was a silent struggle and the wires were loosened enough for Luke to speak.

"Captured," he said, his voice raw, rasping and dry, "On the Accuser. Captain Nisca. Drugs are holding me back from the force. He wants to kill you. Hidden away. Help Father."

Luke knew that he wasn't making sense but he hoped that it would be enough information for Vader to find him. It was all he could manage. Vader's grip on his hand tightened protectively and the force tendrils wrapped themselves around Luke like a shield.

"I understand, little one," Vader acknowledged Luke, "I am coming at once to get you. Sleep now and know that I will not rest until I have retrieved you. Do not give up hope, my son."

With that Vader let Luke's hand go. It pained Luke beyond measure, but both knew it was a necessity. Once Vader's hand was no longer grounding Luke, he began to slip away into the darkness again. Soon Vader was only a soft glow in the distance and the tendrils of force that still accompanied him began also to slip away. At last the light winked out and the fingers diminished altogether and Luke was once more alone and awake.