Chapter 11:

Han looked up, his face screwed into a look that was part sarcasm and part incredulity. "L-Luke? Is this some kind of joke?"

Luke looked down at him, darkly. "Oh, it's no joke, Han. I suppose you're going to despise me like the others do."

Han hesitated. He'd never seen Luke like this before, even when old Kenobi had died. He seemed…. bitter, and resentful, but most of all, he could see hate burning in the depths of his eyes. "Luke, what's going on? Why're you acting like this?"

Luke scowled. "Leia and the others hate me, don't you, too? Just because I won't fight against my own father, because I won't try to kill him, you've all turned against me. The Rebels are hypocrites, all they care about is power, they want their members to serve only their vaunted cause, they don't care that their quest for power has turned families against each other, and I WILL NOT STAND FOR IT!" He smashed his fist against the wall, denting the durasteel plating.

Han could only stare at him, at a loss for words. "Luke, I—"

Luke cut him off, turning back to face him. "So what will it be, Han? Will you choose to side with this hypocritical rebellion, or will you accept the truth, and return to Imperial service?"

Han spread his hands apart. "Look, as far as I'm concerned, I'm not on anybody's side. I've got a death sentence the size of a gundark hanging over me, and unless I can pay back Jabba somehow, I'm too dangerous for anyone to want, Imperial or Rebel."

Luke shook his head. "You don't fool me, Han. But that's okay. I've got your number already. But you tell me, what would it take for you to join us? If we got your death mark lifted? If we gave you what your heart desires?"

It was Han's turn to scowl. "What would you know about what my heart desires?"

Luke grinned, twistedly. "When we first met, I would have said it was cash. But it's not, not anymore, is it? Come with me." Luke reached down and lifted Han to his feet, roughly. He then dragged him out to the cell across from Han's, and threw the door open. Leia looked up at them both, shocked. "Han! Luke! What's going on?" She almost didn't recognize Luke, he seemed…..changed, somehow. And he was so angry….

Han stared at Leia, a mixture of relief and despair on his face—relief that Leia was safe, but despair that she was a prisoner. Luke chuckled, dryly. "So, Han, your options: join me, and my father, in crushing the Rebellion, or watch as Leia suffers before your eyes, when you have the power to stop it." He released his pent-up anger and resentment, and his fingertips crackled as he slowly raised his hands to point at Leia. He glared at her, and unleashed a blast of Force lightning. Leia bravely tried not to let her pain show, but couldn't prevent herself from crying out. "Han….ah! Han…."

Han's face twisted with conflicting emotions. Finally, he found his voice, and gasped out, "St-stop! I- I surrender." When Luke didn't discontinue the lightning right away, Han lunged at Luke, shoving him aside. "DO YOU HEAR?!? I said STOP!"

Luke knocked Han back, glaring at him, darkly. "You surrender? Then kneel, and swear loyalty to me, and to the Empire."

A sarcastic look crossed Han's face, as if he thought, I ain't swearing loyalty to some hotshot kid, but he looked at Leia, her face creased with pain, and he reluctantly got to his knees. "I swear to serve you, and the Empire. There, happy?"

Luke crossed his arms over his chest. "You don't really mean it. We'll see how lightly my father takes the loyalty of subordinates." He dragged Han back to the entrance to the cell block, where his father waited. "Father, Han Solo has pledged his loyalty to the Empire, but he is insincere."

Darth Vader turned to see both his son and Han Solo standing in front of him. Luke moved to stand at his father's side while Vader observed Solo. "Unless you would like to go through what I put you through on Cloud City again, as well as the princess going through an interrogation, I would suggest that you kneel in front of us and pledge your loyalty to us and the Empire and mean it."

Han eyed Vader, sarcastically. "Would you like me to lick your boots, milord?" Vader's response was to clench his fist, letting the Force tighten around Han's throat. Finally, Han gasped out, "A-alright, alright, I'll do it!"

Vader dropped him, letting him collapse on the floor, and Luke nudged Han with the toe of his boot. "Kneel, and swear fealty to us."

Han got to his knees, and muttered, "I swear that I will serve you, and the Empire, faithfully and without reserve."