So sorry for the longer delay. My computer has ... issues.
Thank you for reading, however and I hope you enjoy the next chapter as much as the last.
Know you are valuable and important
Disclaimer - I own nothing and am okay with that now.
They traveled through the bay, onto a turbo lift that seemed to dwarf Luke and make his father impossibly tall at the same time, and into a corridor that ran on for what seemed like ages. At last, they stopped in front of two doors, ignoring the one on Luke's right, Vader pressed a code into the left door's padlock, and it opened. Pushing Luke before him, Vader entered the room and waited for the doors to slid close again before releasing Luke's arm.
"Here is where you will be staying," Vader said as Luke moved to inspect the room. It was small but bigger than anything that Luke could have claimed as his own before now. In the far corner was a small bed with a sleek black nightstand pushed up against it and a large chair sat in the opposite corner. On the wall opposite the chair was a door leading to what Luke presumed was the refresher. The foot of the bed pointed to another door that consumed the wall that it was planted on. Luke moved towards the door, and it slid open to reveal a much larger room beyond.
"This is my chambers," Vader said simply, though Luke saw him angle his helmet towards his son as though trying to see what Luke's reaction would be.
Luke did not breach the doorway between the two rooms but moved to lean against the doorway as he observed the room beyond. He could feel Vader come to stand behind him, the heavy sound of his assisted breathing ringing in Luke's ears.
Smothering the instinct that told him not to have his back to that sound, Luke pointed to the large sphere in the middle of the dark room.
"What is that?"
"That is my meditation chamber," Vader said and moved into the room, knocking Luke's shoulder so that he stumbled into the room as well. Luke turned but the door had already snapped shut behind him. He had no choice but to follow his father farther into the room, walking with the distinct feeling that he was climbing further into a tiger's den.
"The door between these two rooms will remain open unless I deem it necessary for it to remain locked."
"And when would that be?" Luke asked as they rounded the large sphere.
"When I say," Vader said without stopping.
"So, I am to be locked away without any reason as to why," Luke said sullenly.
"If I deem it necessary," Vader said and Luke could hear the exasperation starting to creep into his voice, "Do not fall under the illusion that you are to have free reign of my ship or my room. My goal is to keep you safe and to ensure you remain that way."
"For what end?" Luke asked and Vader stopped his progress towards the door on the other side of his chambers.
"What do you what to know, my son," Vader asked fixing Luke under the hooded gaze of his mask.
"I want to know, what now, father," Luke said the word that had been buzzing around his head all their ride together. Vader reacted to the word and tilted his head to the side while the darkness of his presence swirled around them both.
"I have stated before what I expect of you," Vader said but Luke felt his indistinction.
"Remind me again. It comes to my mind that I might not have been paying attention too well," though his words sounded insolent enough, Luke slowly shifted his right arm around his body to keep it hidden from Vader.
"Luke, you are tired and need rest we can talk about this later," Vader said and moved to grab his son's arm again. Luke moved quickly out of reach and stared angrily at the Dark Lord.
"You can't just brush my questions aside. Even prisoners have a right to know what is expected of them."
"You are not a prisoner," Vader countered
"I am certainly not a guest. Why am I here, Father, why can't I just leave, return to my friends? I thank you for what you've done for me but now I can go," Luke's voice turned into a plea without his wanting it to.
"You are never going back to those vile, children to like to pretend at war," Vader responded angrily and the force began to swirl like dark clouds around them.
"We've held our own against the tyranny of the empire for longer than you expected, and we will continue to hold on until the empire is defeated," Luke shouted and moved away from the dark mass that was his father.
Vader did not answer at first, but his anger was palpable in the room. Then Vader moved forward with a swiftness that surprised Luke and swept down on the Jedi's small figure. Luke didn't have time to spring away before the Dark lord grabbed his arm roughly in a large hand.
"I cannot afford to lose my temper around you, though you tempt me greatly child," Vader growled as he pulled Luke along back towards the door that lead to Luke's room.
"You're hurting my arm," were the only words Luke managed to say through his fear. To his surprise, Vader loosen his hold on Luke's arm though he did not release it completely. They swept to the door separating the two rooms and Vader thrust Luke through to his own room.
"You will stay in your room for the remainder of the night," Vader said and snapped the door shut between them.
Luke stood stunned on the other side of the door for a moment, staring at where the image of his father had disappeared. Anger, whether residual effects of Vader's own or emanating from himself Luke could not tell, threaded its way around the room and seemed to darken the living space. Luke kicked frustratedly at the door, giving vent for a moment to his fury. He pounded one fist to the door as well for good measure, then he had to laugh at his own childishness. When was the last time he had given vent to his emotions like this, probably not as long ago as he thought? You have a lot of learning to do, Skywalker, he thought to himself. There was nothing for it but to explore the room he had been given and try to focus on anything but the anger that was burrowing holes through all his long training with Master Yoda.
Peace and light began to come back to his troubled mind as he walked the perimeter of the room, absently running his hand along the wall. At last, coming to the closet that he had seen before. He placed his hand over the command switch and the door opened to reveal a fully stocked closet. This surprised Luke, his father was obviously more prepared for their living arrangement than Luke was. Despite being slightly chilled by the knowledge that his father might know his clothing sizes, Luke thumbed through the articles. How monochromatic, he thought as he pushed black after black shirt around on the rod that held them up. He took one out, held it up to his chest, and looked into the small mirror that was on the inside of the closet door. It looked as though it would fit well, and Luke had to admit that whoever stocked the closet had some good taste. The shirt felt of good quality, thick and warm without being too bulky, rising up at the collar to hug the wearer's neck. The sleeves flared out slightly but came back to slim into cuffs at the wrist. Luke threw the shirt back onto the wrack and took a look down at his own clothing.
He had been changed into hospital gowns at some point during his rescue, though when for sure he could not say. They were getting old and were too big for Luke's slim frame, they didn't trap heat well enough. Luke was always too cold. Space was cold, that was something that no one had ever bothered warning him about.
Luke shuddered. He was going to be stuck in this room for a while, he might as well make the best of it and soothe himself with a warm shower. Casting aside the thoughts of tomorrow and the worries of the moment, he stepped into the refresher and thought only of the warm comfort a hot shower could bring.
