For your viewing pleasure, chapter 7 in our little saga.

I have officially caught up with myself. I wrote many chapters before deciding to post on this forum, but now I am only a chapter or two ahead of myself. The posts will continue you to come, but I predict about a weeks' time in between each chapter. Thanks for your patience.

And as always, I hope that you enjoy.

Disclaimer: I own nothing, I have nothing!

"My Lord, commander Skywalker has been secured and we are on our way to your location."

The Dark Lord allowed his shoulders to relax slightly, and he could breathe easy again. His son was finally within his grasp. How long had he waited for the moment when Luke could no longer run from him? He had hoped, of course, that the boy would have decided to come to him on his own free will, but this was the next best thing. In a manner of speaking, the boy had asked to be taken by his father, albeit through the pain and torture he was undergoing. The thought that someone had dared to lay a hand on his son, her son, made Vader come very close to strangling anything that moved in his near vicinity. He restrained himself, the only moving thing being the loyal Admiral Piett, and nodded his head in response to the officer's report.

"How is his condition, Admiral," Vader asked. He had sent out his force presence often to check on Luke but the drug in the boy's system had made it very difficult for Vader to tell anything. He knew that his son was distressed emotionally but he could not assess his physical condition.

"He has sustained several injuries from his capture but none that cannot be healed with relative easy. He is very wary of all personal and has fought against administrations, but he is calmer now and I believe he is resting. It appears, my lord, that he lost his right hand some time ago. The doctor determined that it was not during the time of his captivity but happened anywhere to a couple of months to a year ago. He used to have a prosthetic, but it was destroyed by Captain Nisca and we do not have the proper tools to replace it here. I will send you the scan they took of it so that a new one may be made before he arrives."

Vader's chest hitched mid cycle during his breath. He had almost forgotten that he had taken Luke's hand off during their duel on Bespin. He had felt guilty and regretful after the event, especially since it came with the blow of finding out that he was Luke's father. It had all been so fast paced and full of emotion that Vader hardly was in control of his actions. No, he was in complete control and had let his anger take over. That was, perhaps, what worried him most. He couldn't afford to lose that kind of control with Luke again. He had hurt too many people in his life by simply giving himself over to his passions. He would not do it with his own son.

Throughout his musing, Vader could sense that Piett had his suspicions that his lord was responsible for Luke's missing hand. Had Luke told him? Or was he simply very observant? Probably the ladder, Luke didn't seem to be in the mood for idle chit chat. Still...

"Did Luke inform you how he lost his hand?" Vader asked and watched Piett tense slightly with nerves.

"No, sir. He seemed unwilling to share that information and I did not press him for it."

Vader nodded and considered whether or not he should tell his admiral. It might be better if Vader admitted to it rather than have Luke tell him later on, he concluded.

"It was lost during our duel on Bespin," he said, "I regret to hear that it has been a further cause of pain and humiliation for him. Send the scan and I will have it replaced immediately. We expect your ship in three days. Keep me updated on the boy and your progress in rooting out the Accuser."

Piett bowed and Vader turned off the holovid. He sat a moment contemplating what the admiral had told him and what his next actions would be. He had planned for the overthrow of the emperor so long that it did not seem real that all things could be coming to fruition. He did not appreciate the form of government that the emperor had cast over the galaxy, he knew that man was insane and was tightening his grasp on a reality that was slipping away from him. It was time for the old man to be replaced and for a new order to arise. One that would be a mix of the emperor's strong leadership and of the humanity that Luke could bring to the table. Together they would be the balance of the galaxy.

All this Vader planned and worked out in his head, but there was a part of him that he could not deny as well. He knew that he longed for the loving human interaction that he had enjoyed as a youth. It had been over twenty years since he had donned the helmet and black cape. Twenty years of living isolated from the rest of the world. Used as a thing to be feared and despised. His son was his chance to feel human once more. But that was impossible. Vader had taken Luke's hand and broken the boy down to the point that he was willing to die rather than join his father. Luke's loyalties were strong, and they lay elsewhere. Vader could not, would not, hope that his son would see him as anything more than a powerful figure of fear. Vader would try and be as patient and kind as he could to the boy, but he did not think Luke would ever fully embrace him as his father. Time, it seemed, would tell.

It had been two days since his rescue and Luke was beginning to relax slightly into the medical cell that he was confined in. As in accordance with Piett's orders, no doctor came into the room without paging Luke first. Now that the first doctor had been dismissed, all the other doctors treated Luke with a decent amount of respect and dignity. Not imposing anything on him but always treading carefully around the boy. In a small way they feared Luke. They had seen on the vids the incident where Luke threw one of the across the room using the force and now, they all deemed him slightly dangerous. At least, Luke thought, it kept them from taking liberties with him that might have happened otherwise. He was only a rebel after all, and they had no affection for his kind. What did it matter, though? He was sure his life was going to end soon enough. He had heard what the first doctor had said to Admiral Piett. Vader was angry with him, and he could only hope his death would be quick and not draw out with the temptation to join the dark side as well. Piett had tried to reassure him, but he could sense the uncertainty behind the admiral's words. He didn't know what was going to happen to Luke and he tried to cover it up.

Despite that, Luke found he liked the Admiral. Piett was a strong leader and well-organized admiral yet kind and compassionate. Luke knew that Piett had taken a liking to him, and it did not bother the boy at all. He needed a companion, even one that was a sworn enemy. Piett had come to see him three times since boarding the shuttle. He stretched out with the force to see if he could gauge where the Admiral was at the moment. He found his attempts in vain, however, and he gave up quick need his mind for other things. Luke had slowly been getting reconnected to the force. Bit by bit it was coming back, as though he was immerging from a fog to look once again on a familiar landscape. If he concentrated hard and had complete quiet, he could levitate various objects in his room. It took too much energy and focus, but he could do it and that is what he occupied his time with when he wasn't exercising. He hated the feeling of lethargy and weakness that had overcome him by being near immobile for two weeks. Now he was back into practicing the stretches and exercises that Master Yoda had taught him and even a few that he had made up for his own practice. He was already feeling his strength return, especially after having received a few full meals and water. He would not remain an invalid.

In the moment he was on his good left hand, legs straight in the air, eyes closed in concentration and body quaking with the effort of holding himself up. He reached out with his right arm and pointed it at the bed side table that he had been given. It slowly lifted from its place and came to rest on top of Luke's foot, the place Master Yoda had once occupied during a similar exercise. He held his body and the table up as he breathed in and out, allowing the force to come to him naturally and not force it down to do his will. The past few days he had been trying to pin the force down by sheer will, but it always ran threw his fingers the harder he grasped. Now he simply sat and waited for it to come to him, he was at peace to feel the force without controlling it. He felt the force swirling around him in the room, a presence always there and then of a sudden it was upon him. It englufed him and almost threw him to the ground with his eagerness to be with him once again. It seemed that whatever had been holding it at bay was now diminished completely and he was free to feel the force once more. He exalted in its presence and would have wept for joy had he been in different circumstances. As it was, he was still a prisoner and on his way to be held by his father. He didn't know what was instore for his future and that always worried him. His father was bound to try and force him to the dark side and Luke would refuse and they would fight once again, this time Luke would lose more than his hand. He would lose his life for now that he knew who Darth Vader was, he also knew that he could never kill him despite the man he knew his father to be.

Suddenly Luke became aware that he was not the only one in his room, he felt another presence in the force standing almost next to his own. His eyes snapped opened, and he fell heavily to the ground the table clattering on top of him. With swift practiced movements, he shot his feet out and kicked the legs of whoever had been standing behind him. Then, after hearing a grunt and the sound of someone hitting the ground, he scooted himself back into the corner of his room. Only after feeling the two walls at his back did, he stop to see who had just attacked. Of course, it was the admiral.

The man was in the middle of Luke's room lying with his body supported up on his elbow's half rising already. Luke, suddenly worried, rushed over to the Admiral's side and tentatively reached out his good hand and placed it lightly on Piett's shoulder. At the touch Piett looked up and Luke saw that his face was lit up in a deep, hearty laugh. He continued to laugh as Luke helped him to his feet.

"Are you alright?" Luke asked, not sure if the laughing was a good thing.

"I'm sorry, Luke," Piett wheezed as he fought to control his laughter, "You should have seen your face! You looked so startled and then whipped around and threw my legs out from under me. I've never seen anyone move so fast out of a handstand."

Piett laughed again and Luke could help but smile too, even though his heart was still beating furiously against his chest from adrenaline.

"I would ask how you are feeling today but perhaps you should ask me after landing me on my back."

"I am sorry, admiral," Luke said and took a step back.

"Don't think anything of it. I'm not so old that I can't get knocked down every once in a while. That was an impressive use of force you were into before I interrupted you. I assume the drugs in your system must be wearing off?"

"Yes. Just before you came in, I felt the last of the drugs leave my system. I feel much better for it," Luke said and once again reached out to feel the force. The moment it touched it; however, he was suddenly aware of another presence in the force. It was cold and dark and massive and boiling closer to Luke's location than was comfortable. It was his father. His father's force presence was all around the room. It circled it like a wolf stocking prey. It reached in, every once in a while, and seemed to test the air of the room before leaving. It was like a dark cloud on the edge of Luke's vision. He gasped once he noticed it and turned frightened eyes upon Piett.

"Is Vader on board this ship," he asked breathlessly. Piett had noticed the change in Luke's behavior and looked at him with concern.

"No, I was just coming to update you on our arrival time. There are 10 hours left before we reach the Executor. Are you alright?"

Luke nodded yes but continued to watch the force signature of his father as it hovered around his room. It didn't seem threatening, in fact, if Luke had to guess its purpose, he would have thought that it was guarding the room Luke was in. There was anger there, but it was focused outward on anything and everything that came within ten feet of the door. The main emotion Luke could feel that was directed towards him was fear and concern. This surprised Luke and he didn't know how to handle it. Was his father concerned for his welfare, or was it that he was fearful that Luke might escape again? It was hard to gauge the exact emotions coming from the snaking lines of his father that surrounded his room. Piett looked like he was about to ask another question when Luke the comlink that he always wore around his wrist started to beep. He gave one last look and then stepped out of the room to take the call.

Luke watched as the admiral took the call outside his room. Through the window, he could see the Admiral stiffen into attention as he spoke, and Luke assumed that it was Vader he was speaking to. There was a brief pause and then Piett responded, glancing at Luke now and again, giving away the subject of their conversation. The admiral tapped his wrist to end the call and stepped back into the room.

"That was Lord Vader on the com, he has decided to come and meet the shuttle. He will be arriving within the hour and wishes to transfer you personally back to the Executor." Piett was back to business, his voice more controlled and emotionless.

"He expects me to escape before he gets me," Luke meant the statement as a question, but it came with more force than he intended.

Piett only nodded and looked at Luke with the parental protection that he had seen in the Admiral every once and a while.

"He is most eager to have you by his side, Luke." Piett responded, "He has been waiting for this moment for a long time. I have served with him ever since he started his search for you. I know what this means to him."

"Yes, his plans of conquest won't go as planned until he has me there to help enforce them," Luke was suddenly bitter and angry. It helped to cover the hope that his father might want to be with him just because he was his son.

"I won't judge Lord Vader before you get to know him, Luke," Piett said, "He is a complicated man and I don't understand half the things he does, yet they usually turn for the betterment of his people and the empire. I don't believe that he would have sought you so long and hard merely for the military advantage, he's smarter than that. He would not have wasted valuable resources and time if he was merely trying to obtain an enforcer. He wants to be with his son."

Piett's last words stung Luke, touching the very issue he had been struggling with. His eyes began to water, and he turned his head away from the admiral so that he wouldn't see how much his words affected him.

"I suppose time will tell," Luke said in a steady voice.

Piett nodded then knowing that Luke probably wanted to be alone, left the medbay and both men awaited the arrival of their commander.