Hi! I wrote this several years ago, back in 2016. In an effort to consolidate all of my fics, I am bringing over several fics to this website, with this one being included.
This was a Christmas present for planningconquest. If y'all want to understand this (and read some super cool Vader and Luke stories while you're at it), go read their fic Acid Rain! Acid Rain is what this story is based off of (especially chapter 22)!
I don't own anything but the idea. Tang and Doora are both planningconquest's OCs, so if you liked them, go check out the original fic!
R&R.
"Captain," Vader said suddenly. Tang was walking beside him, head buried in a holopad and drawing up what she called higher education plans, but were really just fancy grammar and vocabulary lists for their latest project. They were walking down to Tang's office, where a new chip regarding Doora's progress had been sent.
"Yes?" She didn't even bother to glance up, and Vader knew it was time to try regain his authority and respect for his presence. It was even better to while Luke wasn't around to argue why being friendly with your coworkers was a positive thing.
"It has come to my attention that you never apologized for throwing your paperweight at me." Vader said, almost casually. Really, he was missing his children's antics and was almost itching for some sort of amusement. Not that he would ever admit that out loud. The look of utter disbelief she threw his way and the way her presence in the force flared with surprise satisfied Vader.
"Milord," Captain Tang said, a fierce light shining in her eyes that made all of the clones standing around them scatter back. Vader swiveled toward her, hands on his hips, tilting his helmet forward slightly in anticipation. She gritted her teeth slightly, eyes narrowed in a calculating way, wondering what he was up to and why. Her holopad was slung in front of her stomach, and her other hand was pressed on her hip. "Which time are you referring to?"
"I would imagine the most recent one," Vader said, resuming his quick pace and leaving her behind. Tang spluttered for a moment but quickly caught up. Out of the corner of his vision, Vader saw two of Tang's favorite clone companions silently follow. Most likely to make sure he didn't choke her, Vader mused.
"Milord, if anyone owes the other an apology here, I'm under the impression that it is you." Tang sniffed and stuck her nose back into her holopad.
"Oh? Do you care to elaborate on that, Captain?"
Tang sighed, looking up again as they finally approached her office. She punched in her key code and the door slid open. She breezed in, Vader behind her. The clones following them stationed themselves as guards outside of the doorway. She set the holopad on her desk and plopped down in her chair, leaning back and pressing the tips of her fingers together. She seemed bent on making him wait, Vader noted with a tinge of frustration.
Finally, she settled herself enough to look up at him with a sharp smile that probably made lesser beings fall back. Vader, however, was no such person.
"Lord Vader, last time I checked, it was you who barged into my room at 3 in the damn morning." Her eyes flashed and she placed her hands down on the desk, looking like she was preparing to push up. One of the clones outside huffed a laugh they quickly tried to turn into a cough.
"We had business to discuss," Vader replied, tilting his helmet back to examine her more.
Tang's eyes flashed. "You could have at least waited until I had gotten dressed!" The clone's laughter quickly stuttered into surprised coughing, and they both exchanged wide-eyed looks.
"It was imperative that we discussed it immediately," Vader said.
The Captain snorted and smoothed out a nonexistent wrinkle from her uniform. "It was also imperative to sleep," she reminded him. Her face was meticulously blank, but Vader could practically taste the waves of suspicion rolling off of her force signature.
"Apology," Vader said.
Tang visibly looked like she wanted to roll her eyes. "Lord Vader, I am a Captain, a majordomo, and a previous High General from the Clone Wars. I don't do apologies. Is this some sort of parent trick you're testing out on me? It's not working."
Vader just stood there, not saying anything. The only sound in the office was of his raspy mechanical breathing. The clones outside were waiting with bated breath.
Tang sighed, knowing she was defeated, and not happy about it. "Milord, I am incredibly sorry for throwing a paperweight at your head at stupid o'clock in the morning, even though you were in my room despite my work contract."
Vader was satisfied. "Thank you, Captain." Tang let out a long breath out of her nose, giving him a strange look. Moving on, she slid the holopad back in front of her and inserted the chip that had been left on her desk regarding Doora.
Vader walked over to stand behind her while Tang pulled up the files. A long list of stats and test scores popped up, and he reached out to grab it from her. Tang batted his hand away. Vader paused a moment before reaching out again. Tang knocked it aside, eyes focused on skimming the data.
"Captain," Vader said, growing annoyed.
"Oh, look at that," Tang said, the corners of her mouth twitching up as she promptly ignored him. "Doora's vocabulary is improving so much, according to Black 4."
"Captain Tang," Vader said again, the irritation clear in his voice.
As the tell-tale sounds of one of Vader's and Tang's famous arguments echoed the hallway, both of the clones looked at each other.
"You think the Captain's tryin' to get herself killed?" Tucker asked his brother, whispering so the two inside wouldn't overhear.
"Nah," his brother, Cookie, said, taking a quick glance at the Captain readily defending herself with hands on her hips. "She's smarter than that."
Tucker was silent for a moment. "What do you think she meant, when she said that he burst into her room this morning?"
Cookie threw his brother a startled look. "Is that really any of your business?"
"No," Tucker admitted. He bit his lip and ran a hand over his head. He looked at his brother with pursed lips and a wicked idea. "You know what I think it is?" Cookie gave him a sideways look, and Tucker quickly made an obscene gesture with his hands.
"Tucker!" Cookie hissed, cheeks flaring pink. His brother grinned, pleased with himself.
"Tucker!" Tang called out from the room. Both clones stiffened immediately and turned to look inside. Tang was standing now, holopad behind her back, out of reach for Vader. "If I ever see that disgusting gesture again, you will wish you never learned what sex was in the first place." Vader loomed menacingly behind her.
"... understood, sir."
Tang narrowed her eyes, but turned back to her boss. Their discussion continued, and Tucker breathed a sigh of relief and slouched a bit.
Cookie was staring at a spot on the floor, biting his lip in thought. Tucker let his head fall back against the doorframe.
"I could see it," Cookie said suddenly, and a lot more quietly than before. Both clones looked back into the room. Vader had finally received the holopad, and he was scrolling through the information. Tang was standing on her toes to see over his arm, and was pointing to something over his hand.
Tucker smirked at his brother. "Told ya."
By the end of the day, every single clone trooper (and droid) was aware of the secret relationship of Lord Vader and Captain Tang. Everyone, that is, except the two 'lovebirds' in the first place.
In all due time, Luke and Doora ended up back at the castle. Luke, for another pick-up of the Temple holocrons, and Doora to have her progress be personally monitored by Tang while her squadron was flying.
Both were given a temporary recess from their studies, and they ended up back in the kitchen drinking tea, much like old times. Several clones were bustling around them, cleaning and baking lunch. Doora was talking excitedly about her new teammates and that she was getter closer and closer to being able to fly her TIE. Luke, on the other hand, talked about Yoda and his dealings with all of the Force ghosts.
"It's good to be back," Doora admitted. "I didn't think I would miss this place."
"Aw, are you and Tang buddies now?" Luke teased. "How have you been enjoying those vocab lists?" Doora rolled her eyes and shoved his arm.
"At least I don't sound like some backwards farmboy every time I open my mouth," Doora shot back, a playful grin on her face that told Luke she wasn't serious.
"Okay, first off, I really was a farmer," Luke said, holding up a finger. His blue eyes danced with amusement. "My aunt and uncle were moisture farmers on Tatooine. And second, your insults have gotten a lot better. Preparing for your next argument with Leia?"
Doora groaned at Leia's name, rolling her eyes again and shoving her cup of tea away. "Let's not," she said.
Luke used the Force to levitate his own cup, flashing her a bright grin when she scowled at him. "Did you see Father a lot on the Executor?"
Doora scrunched up her face. "Only if he was sending the Blacks out on an important mission or something. He didn't make a habit of visiting." She didn't sound bitter, just matter of fact.
"Oh," Luke said. "Is he back here yet?" Talking over their mental link was a nice way to keep in contact, but he definitely wanted to see his father in person before he left. Doora shrugged, and Luke turned around to catch the attention of one of the clones, a huge stack of dishes in his arms. He repeated his question, and the clone dutifully responded.
"Lord Vader just landed. Last time I heard, he was with Captain Tang." Another clone walking nearby catcalled, and Luke leaned back with a shocked expression on his face.
"Let's be real, kid; when are they not together?" A clone washing dishes in the sink called out over his shoulder. "Ain't that right, Zax?"
"Ah, don't listen to them," the first clone, Zax, said, shifting his grip on the plates and waving a hand dismissively. "They're just all worked up because of the rumors."
"Rumors?" Doora said, suddenly interested in the conversation.
The clone hesitated, looking at his plates and then at the cupboard. "I don't know if I should be telling you this," he said. "Of Lord Vader finds out..."
Doora gave him her best tooka-kit eyes and stuck out her lower lip in a pout. "Pleease?"
"Alright, alright," Zax said, caving. "Let me put these up first." He disappeared from sight, and Doora leaned back, visibly pleased with herself.
"A rumor?" Luke said, looking utterly confused. "About Father and Tang?"
Doora's pleased grin turned into something devious and excited. "I can't wait to find out what it is," she said. She looked at Luke's hesitant expression and swatted him on the arm. "Oh, come on! This is gonna be good."
Luke shrugged, not looking entirely convinced. "If you say so."
Zax appeared back in front of them, dusting his hands off on his apron. He pulled out a chair on the other side of Doora and sank down.
"So," he said, eyes gleaming and all traces of hesitation gone. "Apparently, Vader's been going to Tang's room early, early in the morning."
It was silent for a moment.
"That's it?!" Luke cried. He shook his head. "That's nothing. It's probably just business." Doora tapped the side of her cheek, looking thoughtful.
"That's not all," Zax said. "Apparently she was undressed during this exchange."
Luke looked a little more uneasy now. "That, uh, doesn't mean anything yet, really."
"An exchange?" Doora repeated, one eyebrow raised.
Zax nodded and shrugged his shoulders. "Just what I was told. Tucker, the clone who told me all this, said they were also all over each other in her office." He waggled his eyebrows.
Luke looked positively green, and Doora slammed down her hands onto the table. "Booty call!" she crowed. "I knew it!"
Zax shrugged his shoulders, trying to fight back a smile. "I'll leave you to think of this what you will." He gingerly patted the still-green Luke on the shoulder and walked off.
Doora was practically cackling. "I don't believe this," she wheezed, grabbing her sides in laughter. "This is too good!"
"I don't believe this either," Luke said, running his hands through his hair and leaving his palms pressed on his forehead.
"I wonder how they do it," Doora mused. "With his suit and all."
Luke let out a screech and buried his face in his hands. "I really, really, don't wanna think about it."
"Hey, you know what that makes Tang now?" Doora asked, a curious expression on her face. Luke peeked at her through his fingers. "It really does make her our career mom!"
Luke lunged for the trash bins.