Star Wars belongs to Lucasfilm Ltd., itself property of The Walt Disney Company. I make no lucrative nor commercial use of my writings in relationship with the Star Wars license.

"He's here? What do you mean, who's here?" Han asked, gripping Luke's shoulders.

In. Out. In. Out. Luke couldn't answer him, too busy focusing on his breath, reminding himself he needed to breathe so he wouldn't stop doing it altogether. He hated that noise, hated hearing the air travel through his nose, loud and rasping. He was suffocating, the walls were closing in on him, he was going to throw up...

He was coming. He had to stop thinking about it, he needed to act, or else –

Or else –

"Please, Han." Luke couldn't care less about the pathetic pleading squeak his voice was reduced to. Too much depended on this. "We need to raise ship now."

"I fear it's already too late," Mia Ikova intervened. "The Imperials are landing. They've forbidden all ships to leave atmosphere."

His heart sank in his chest, his thoughts freezing as the presence brushed against his mind again, closer, much too close, triumphant like a krayt dragon knowing his prey is trapped. A cold shudder ran through Luke's spine.

"Then there is nothing to do but to face them," Leia said.

"No," Luke let go of his grip on Han's shirt to face Leia. A frenzied fury took hold of him, chasing all traces of fear as quickly as they'd appeared with narrow-minded focus. "No. We need to fight and get away."

"He's right," said Mia Ikova. "You mustn't be found here. The circumstances are too incriminating. The Imperials will arrest you..."

"Let them. I won't allow you and your people be punished for my actions."

Luke stared at her determined face, the stubborn set of her jaw, the haughty yet grave tilt of her head. How sheltered did she have to be, how naïve, how stupid...?

"You're deluded," he snapped. "They'll be punished anyway, simply for letting us here. If we stay, we'll all be captured."

He gritted his teeth, trying to figure out how to put into words what they risked, the horror waiting for them aboard that Star Destroyer. Shivers of terror ran across his entire body at the thought. He couldn't – he couldn't –

Why was he even trying? They weren't going to believe him, he realised, his stomach sinking, the helpless rage building inside his guts. They didn't trust him, had no reason to trust him but they must, they needed to leave, he would make them if that was the last thing he did...

The princess crossed her arms, pinched her lips. "I'm sure I can talk our way out of this. I have several times before. Their hands are tied; the Senate won't stand for this –"

"It doesn't matter!" Luke shouted, voice angry and hoarse, and she started. "It won't stop them! They'll arrest us, they'll do everything they want to us and there's nothing your stupid Senate will do to stop them. You don't want to risk it. We need to move, we need to get out now!"

She just stared at him, taken aback, and Luke held back a scream of frustration. His heart pounded in panic; pins and needles of restlessness ran through his shaking limbs, he swallowed blood at the back of his throat, rubbed his cold wrists. The dark tendrils were still there, seeking him; he desperately held them at bay, but knew it was only a matter of time until he succumbed.

This was a nightmare. He couldn't go through this again. It couldn't be happening, he wasn't going to stay here bickering only for the Empire to pluck him like a flower –

"In any case, we need to go back to the spaceport," Mia Ikova said. "I can drop you by your ship there and go on my way to welcome them. I'll buy you as much time as I can."

Relief and gratitude overwhelmed Luke, who let out a sigh. Finally, someone who understood the gravity of the situation, the terrible danger they were all in.

Luke couldn't get captured again. He knew all too well what would happen if he did – what would happen to all of them...

No. They would get out of here.

Luke didn't remember most of the speeder ride. He couldn't recall climbing into the vehicle, couldn't recall what was said during that time. The whole thing seemed to last only a moment, during which he alternated during intense panic and intense hope, between a strong feeling of optimism and a looming sense of doom, alternating so quickly it gave him nausea.

And always, always, the dark and sickening tendrils were wrapping around him like possessive tentacles, not wanting to let go.

Luke...

No. Go away. I won't let you, I won't let you –

Just a little more time. Just a few more minutes and they'll be off-planet...

But the moment that should have brought him relief doused him in the cold shower of despair instead.

He didn't see the Falcon resting there on the platform. He didn't see the other ship next to her, her white paint with lines of red and the three staggered rows of reactors behind her. Instead, his eyes were riveted on the Imperial shuttle landed next to these, on the white troops coming out of her like a swarm of bugs, forcing them out of the speeder with their hands in the air and blocking any escape...

And on the tall black shape whose silhouette he knew all too well, whose black mask kept him from sleep, whose cape floated behind him like a flag. A nexus of Force was swirling around him, a whirlwind of dark intent all focused on Luke, a black hole waiting to swallow him, to capture and crush him.

Luke gasped. He felt the blood leave his face, his heart painfully thump in his throat. His limbs shook so hard he could barely control them; his wrists were bound in cold restraints, there was drumming in his ears, iron in his mouth...

Peace, young one.

Luke closed his eyes and let out a whimper.

No. No. Please no...

"Lord Vader," Leia addressed him, still regal despite being held at blaster point. The masked gaze was forced away from Luke, Vader's attention divided, and he couldn't help the sigh of relief. "What brings you out here, in this sector?"

"You do, Your Highness," Vader replied. Luke flinched, terror seizing the deepest pit of his stomach at the sound of the booming voice. He had forgotten how fearsome it was... "You should never have left Ralltiir when I had ordered your ship searched. That oversight shall now be fixed."

Leia gritted her teeth.

"Ralltiir is under the jurisdiction of Lord Tion. The leave I received from him was perfectly legal."

"His influence doesn't extend past that system," Vader countered, taking a step forward. "I will know what is that cargo of yours that you are so eager to hide. Finally, we will have proof of your involvement with the Rebellion."

Luke hunched his shoulders to make himself smaller, tried lowering his hands before the violent push of a blaster between his ribs forced him in his previous position with a jolt of fear. If only Vader could forget about him...

But the dark presence was still weighing on him, pinning him like a fly. Luke couldn't move, could barely breathe.

The man from earlier, the one with the cap and the vest that had accompanied them to Mia Ikova's castle and was clearly serving the princess, took her forearm and leant in to whisper something to her.

"Your Highness, the Rebel from Ralltiir, Basso, is still on board, as well as our supplies."

The princess gave him a light nod, her face growing even more serious.

"We need to prevent them from going on board," she whispered back, her lips barely moving.

Luke didn't really see how that was possible; troopers surrounded them, their white armour forming a tightening circle around them while others were already going up the ramp of the princess' ship.

"But enough of this," Vader waved. "It is, in fact, very fortunate that your presence led me here."

And then Vader was facing Luke again, and all breath left Luke's lungs as if the air had been sucked from around him, leaving only deep cold in his bones. He couldn't move, hopelessly trapped as he watched the soulless eyes of the mask stare at him, the man-shaped monster take a step in his direction.

Shudders ran through him, the Force oily and dark and agitated, ready to blow up in an instant. He could feel it touch him, knew its terrible power, the way it could tear at his mind and rip at his defences in unspeakable pain...

I won't let you, I won't, I won't –

"Skywalker. At last, we meet again."

Through the haze that had overcome Luke, he could feel Vader's triumph and relief, the certainty of Luke's capture. He gritted his teeth so hard his jaw hurt.

No –

No –

This wasn't over –

Calm down. You will not come to harm. I wish only to protect you.

Waves of soothing intention crashed against Luke's mind, and he jumped against the intrusion.

Unbearable pain in his skull, his head burning, his body frozen, he couldn't move, couldn't struggle, could only scream in agony –

Before he could think, he violently pushed back the attack on his mind. He threw himself forward with a hoarse cry, and fired.

Once, twice, five times, ten, he pulled the trigger as he advanced on Vader, teeth gritted, both hands shaking and gripping his blaster. His mind was buzzing with fear and rage, barely registering that none of it seemed to have any effect on his enemy.

No more, no more –

"Han! Chewie! Go to the Falcon!"

His cry was cut off by the blaster flying out of his hands and into Vader's. Without missing a beat, Luke reached to his belt and charged forward, swinging the blue blade above his head.

Red met it.

Surprise came from Vader, along with something like pride that Luke had often felt during their training sessions together. For half a second, he remembered their very few sparring sessions, before everything, the fun he had and his satisfaction when his commanding officer told him he'd progressed...

Then he nearly failed to block Vader's blow, and all that was at stake crashed down on him once more.

Around him, chaos had broken out. He could see the princess had broken out a blaster as well; she was fighting next to Han and Chewie, who was wrestling with the troopers who tried to hold them still, while the other woman and the guards were busy on the other side of the platform.

Luke, listen to me –

He did his best to ignore the new flash of panic Vader's voice ignited in him. He had to get away from here –

He stumbled backwards, tripped and fell down, his weapon cluttering away under the pressure of Vader's attacks.

"Luke!"

He heard Han call his name frantically, but couldn't tear his gaze away from Vader as he towered over him. Luke's father's lightsabre flew into his hand, and he looked down at it with something like shock.

A foreign burst of anger and incomprehension sprung towards Luke, whose breath caught in his throat, a shiver running down his spine –

No no no no no –

His memories were made of pain, his every thought burnt, his entire body was on fire as the tendrils crashed against his mind, excruciating –

He crawled backwards, frantic for an escape. He grasped at the Force, but it uselessly swirled around him, around them, out of reach. Vader, on the other hand, only had to reach out to immobilise Luke.

Luke forgot how to breathe. He was so cold – the room was so small – his wrists were trapped –

"You are beaten. It would be in your best interest to surrender," Vader said, still advancing towards him. Luke gritted his teeth, chasing the flashes of sensation away.

"Never," he spat.

Luke, Vader's presence whispered against his mind once more.

With a roar, Luke lashed out.

The ground shook, troopers shouted. A bright explosion came from the Imperial shuttle, smoke escaping from it. Vader himself lost his footing and fell to the ground.

Luke jumped to his feet and reached out to get his lightsabre back. Everything around him was made of fire and explosions, the platform rocking under his feet. A call had him turn his head; he ran and sprang on the open ramp of the Falcon. Chewie caught him and hauled him inside, punching the ramp closed.

"Get away from here, I'll take the guns," he said to nobody in particular. Chewie growled an affirmative to him, squeezing his arm, to which Luke answered with a smile.

It was a little easier to see what was happening, from here. The Alderaanian ship had also risen, she was shooting at Vader's shuttle in earnest now that Luke was out of the way.

Gripping the controls so tight he could barely feel his knuckles, Luke fired at the Imperials too. Each piece of damage he did was a relief, and he threw himself into it with abandon.

They were going to leave. They were going to escape. Luke wasn't going back, wasn't being captured again –

A brush against his mind made him yelp. His shot missed, especially with the ship moving as fast as she did to escape enemy blasters, and reached the Alderaanian ship instead.

Luke, listen to me!

His breath caught up again. No, that was impossible, why couldn't he leave him alone –

"Kid, everything all right?"

Luke couldn't answer, barely registered Han's voice in the headpiece. He could feel the bond he shared with Vader more clearly than he had any time in the past few months; it was thrumming, pulsating.

Luke. You are in danger. You –

Leave me ALONE!

Luke closed his eyes with a hoarse scream and clamped down on the bond with all his strength. It resisted for a second before deflating and withering like a root torn out of the soil, cut off.

The ship vibrated and shot forward; Luke opened his eyes just in time to see the stars lengthen into the threads of hyperspace.

In his mind, there was blessed silence and solitude.

Luke leant his head against the back of his seat and closed his eyes, keenly feeling his heart beating in his temples. His breath was ragged and shallow, coming in quick gasps through his dry mouth and throat. He let himself stay motionless for a moment as he endured the waves of relief that came over him, his mouth half-open, his whole body shaking like a leaf.

They were free. They were alive.

He was beginning to feel a little better when sounds of footsteps made him jump and look up like a tooka in a speeder's lamplights.

"Luke? You still alive there?"

Luke relaxed with a sigh. He nodded, shooting Han a smile. With more care than he should need, because his limbs were still trembling far more than they were supposed to, he grasped the ladder and started climbing out of the turret before falling into Han's arms, barely holding himself upright.

"Hey, hey. It's okay. We all made it out," Han said, patting him awkwardly on the back.

Were he slightly less shaken, Luke supposed he'd have been mortified to be in this position; given a few more seconds, he was still probably going to be. As it was, he just clung to Han as tightly as he could, absorbing the much-needed comfort like a sponge.

They'd made it out. This was real.

But it had been so close.

Their escape came back to Luke in a flash, each moment where they'd nearly been captured an icy arrow in his limbs. Late panic overwhelmed him like a tide, and he only had time to rush to the fresher, stumbling over his buckling knees and reaching the bowl just in time.

"Luke?" he heard Han ask behind him, bewildered.

Luke let out a moan then threw up once more, black dots dancing in front of his eyes. To his surprise, there was no blood coming out of his mouth, only remains of his last meal, despite the potent taste of iron he could feel in the back of his throat with his nausea. Tension went out of him as quickly as the content of his bowels, leaving him weak and shaking. His head was pounding; he could still see Vader's huge silhouette towering over him, could hear his breath rasping in his ears, could see himself in that dark little cell –

No.

He'd escaped. They'd all escaped. They were safe. It was over.

A hand was running soothing circles on his back.

"It's okay, it's okay, you're fine now," Han said. Luke could still hear the confusion in his voice.

"They're everywhere," he whispered, unable to speak any louder. He straightened up, wiped tears from his cheeks, which had overflowed due to the violence of his stomach's reaction. "How can we escape them when they're everywhere –"

His breath picked up again, the walls closing in on him as he realised how hopeless his flight was. The Empire was so powerful... how long could he outrun them? How many close calls like this before they finally caught up with him?

He could still see Vader, looming in front of him, and he'd been so close –

"Hey, hey. We've escaped them, we've done it, okay? We're not going back. You don't have to worry about it."

"But I do... Han – I'm putting you all in danger – he's looking for me, it's me he wants –"

"Shhhh," the smuggler soothed him. His hand on Luke's back was grounding, and Luke leant into it. "It's over. Don't think about it."

He held out a glass of water which Luke gratefully took. It rinsed the disgusting stench in his mouth and helped calm the stinging at the back of his throat; for some reason, it quieted his breath a little, too.

"You good?" Han asked, concern in his gaze. "Stomach settled?"

Luke looked away and closed his eyes in embarrassment, but still nodded, feeling uncomfortably exposed. He couldn't believe Han and Chewie had seen him like this. What were they going to say? They'd realise how weak he was – moreover, they had to know now that Vader was looking for him now. Were they going to leave him in the next spaceport, so he would no longer endanger them? Luke wouldn't blame them for it...

Or worse... Vader had called him by his family name. Would they realise who he was and hand him over to the Empire to collect his bounty? Luke didn't know how much it was – but he didn't doubt it was significant...

His heart quickened a little bit, but he was too exhausted to really worry about it now. His muscles ached as if he'd run for hours, his limbs heavy as if they were made of lead. There wasn't much place in him for any emotion other than numbness and vague despair.

If that was to be his fate, so be it. There was nothing he could do or say to change it, anyway.

"Come, then. We'll be more comfortable in the passenger hold than here on the deck."

Luke nodded again and let Han help him to his feet. He made a point to walk by himself the short distance that separated him from the couch in the ship's passenger hold, though. No need for them to see him even weaker than he was.

Chewie asked after him in concern, and Luke reassured him with a smile, letting himself fall down on the seat with a sigh of relief. If he closed his eyes now, he was sure he'd fall asleep in a moment.

"So..." he said instead. "Where to, now?"

Han and Chewie exhanged a glance, looked at him again. Han was about to say something when a familiar bleep made Luke turn his head on the side in astonishment.

There, rolling and twittering towards him, was a droid he hadn't thought he'd see again.

"Weefour!"

The little astromech let out an enthusiastic whistle. Luke put both hands on his dome and looked at him in wonder, laughing in disbelief.

"Yeah, we picked up a couple more guests on the way. You know that droid?" Han asked.

"Yes. Yes, he's an old friend of mine," Luke said, unable to repress his grin while he addressed Weefour again. "How did you get here? I thought you'd still be on Devastator!"

Weefour was interrupted by Han.

"He stowed away, Chewie just found him a minute ago in the cargo hold. We were wondering what to do with him, if he wasn't a plant."

Luke felt as if he'd been doused in cold water. Weefour was still an Imperial droid; it wasn't completely unreasonable to think he'd have a tracker in him.

"You're right. You're going to let Han and Chewie check you for bugs, okay, buddy?"

He was relieved when the little droid expressed his agreement; he said something about following Vader to his shuttle to keep Luke safe, which made him smile.

"That doesn't answer the previous question," Chewie said. "I've set a temporary hyperspace course along the Hydian Way, but we should decide on a destination. Since we decided to avoid Tatooine for awhile, and Han's plan on Haleoda blew up in our faces... where should we go?"

The previous hopeless despair overwhelmed Luke again.

"I don't know," he quietly said, absently staring down at his fidgeting hands. "I don't know where we can go to escape the Empire."

There was a long, heavy silence, only broken by Weefour's soft, inquiring bleeps. Luke glanced up, afraid of what he'd find on the smugglers' faces; they looked as low-spirited and short on ideas as he was.

It was his fault that they were in this predicament in the first place, he realised. Without him, none of it would ever have happened. They would be thriving, taking up any jobs they wanted and not caring more about the Empire than the average citizen. It wasn't fair for them to be caught up in Luke's own problems with the Empire. They had already been so kind to him, Luke couldn't burden them more than necessary.

"You should drop me in a spaceport somewhere," he said, swallowing the tightness in his throat. It was the right thing to do. "You know Vader's after me, now. You're not safe as long as I stay with you. I shouldn't have imposed on you in the first place."

"What?" Han replied, looking genuinely surprised – and a little offended. "No, no way – kid, don't talk nonsense, you're part of the crew, we stick together. We're not exactly on the legal side of things, either, in case you hadn't noticed. We'll just lay low for a while, find a nice place where there's work for us..."

"But where?" Luke couldn't help interrupting. He could feel anxiety taking hold of him again, the terrible certainty that sooner or later he'd end up in the Empire's clutches again, the helpless determination not to. "The Empire is so powerful – there's not a sector in the galaxy where they're not –"

"That's exaggerating," Han mumbled, cutting him off, but the heart wasn't in it.

There was a silence as the three of them racked their brain for a solution; but Luke knew, deep inside, that there wasn't one. The Empire was all-powerful. It was impossible to escape them on the long run. Luke could try – he would try, he didn't have a choice, but he knew how this was bound to end.

He'd just rather not think about it.

"I think I might be able to help," said a woman's voice, so unexpected it made Luke jump.

It was the princess of Alderaan, a commlink in her hand, walking out of the captain's cabin. She came towards them, offering them a smile that, despite being genuine, was too thin to conceal the shadows of worry on her face. Luke stared at her, his eyes wide, wondering when she came on board, how he hadn't heard her.

However, her next words raised a whole new set of questions, far more urgent.

"I do know a place where there is no Imperial presence whatsoever."