Title:

Twelve Roses and a Receipt

Chapter: 1. A Beacon of Hope.

Keywords:

Rating: G

Genre: Adventure/Humour

Timeline: Post ESB/ Legacy Era

Author: Wellingtonboots

Archive: Slytherin Serpent,

Status: Short Multi-chapter

AN: Small AU diversion: Han has not been captured by Fett and is very much involved because I love him too much to not write about him.

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Wes Janson could be heard howling with laughter all the way up in the command tower.

"Did you see his face when he read from Vader?" said Hobbie slapping Wes on the back as they replayed the video for the tenth time. "Oh man, it just gets better every time."

"I didn't write from Vader. I forgot the from," confessed Wes through his hiccups.

"Oh so it's just To Luke Vader, then."

"Yeah but he still wet himself."

"I would too if I got something from Vader…maybe we should tell him."

"Nah, the stupid droid got a picture of me anyway so he knows it's just a joke."

"He sure screams loud."

"Yeah, play it again!"

Luke was sweating once again as he assured himself that it had just been a stupid joke but the words Luke Vader shocked him to the core. Only in his worst nightmares had those two words been locked together in print as though it was the way his name was meant to be.

No, he was Luke Skywalker and no one could possibly take that from him.

Three months ago, reverence and love for the memory of Anakin was the centre of his existence but Vader had taken that from him too. Now there was nothing left, not even the dreams of finally making his father proud.

But you still can, said the nasty voice inside his head. You still can.

For two treacherous days he had thought about that voice, about those promises, about him.

If I were to join him…

No more starvation rations, no more living like an outlaw, no more bathing restrictions…no more stupid pranks.

He could have all the things he ever wanted. Money, fame, power…and his father. Every day the prospect became more seductive and Luke knew Vader had planned it that way.

"You know, instead of just wallowing in self pity, I suggest you take revenge,"

Luke stiffened with fright but instantly realised it was only Han letting himself in with a lopsided grin and two bottles of beer. It was time to shelve his own problems

"But I'm afraid you're a little too late for that. Ever since you told Leia, she's been trying to come up with a suitably evil punishment for the two of them. So far there's cleaning out the lavatories, grounding them for life, or making them give you a sponge bath."

Luke took the liberty of looking completely horrified.

"Don't worry I told her it would be more of a punishment for you because you're not gay, no matter what rumours have been spreading."

"Rumours?"

"Yeah, kid, you can't hole yourself up for three months and not attract gossip."

"You mean people actually think that I'm in love with Vader!"

Han snorted so loudly that Luke had a feeling that something unsavoury may have been ejected from his nose.

"No! I admit there's some pretty whacked up people here but no-one would suggest anything like that…unless of course it's true?"

"Shut up, Han!" hissed Luke through gritted teeth.

"Okay, to the point Wes and Hobbie have officially been assigned to desk duty so you and Wedge will be filling their places on the next recon mission. It'll be with Tycho and the new girl Shira Brie."

"Oh yeah, I've heard of Shira, she's the pretty one with the long brown hair."

"I knew you were straight, buddy, and everyone else will too if you bust up Janson's face in the mess hall today."

"No, Han."

The recon mission was routine and therefore boring. The make shift squadron was poor matched as Tycho was too cocky and Wedge too serious. To top it all up Luke was too busy thinking about Shira's hair to notice his crumbling team. However it was not until they dropped out of hyperspace that Tycho turned his previous remarks at the base into a full-blown argument with Wedge.

"I swear the Imps aren't unto anything. If this transmission beacon is half as important as you all think it is the Imps would have blown it up months before we even heard of it."

"Tycho, the Empire does not know that we know what they are up to. Give high command some credit because they know much more than any of us, so for now just obey your orders," said Wedge sternly.

"Oh please, this is a waste of time. No action at all. May as well be back at base eating soup."

Luke should have intervened but before he could even open his mouth. The beacon registered on his scopes and he hurried studied the overall readouts.

The main target of their reconnaissance mission was simply to identify the beacon and anything around it that might hinder a future expedition. From the readouts that were being generated by R2 the transmissions beacon was perched precariously on a tiny asteroid shaped moon orbiting around a smaller version of Hoth.

Unfortunately that was not all.

"I'm detecting a really strong magnetic field. It seems to be natural," said Luke nervously over the comm link.

"I wonder what's making it," said Wedge as he pulled back alongside Luke's X-wing.

"It could be the asteroid, or even the planet but it sure is strong. Prepare to experience some turbulence in two minutes."

As the his X-wing drew closer to the beacon Luke felt the force around him spark with electric excitement as though the magnetic field was somehow stimulating the force. The feeling only intensified as his X-wing started to shudder in the magnetic turbulence. Thankfully the ship's shields were holding up and there was little interference with the central computer.

"We...have to…land" hissed Wedge's broken voice over the comm link as the signal was almost destroyed by the intensifying magnetic field.

There was no point in answering. Luke pulled his craft down towards the surface in the same graceful way he executed all his landings despite the juddering ship.

However as he came within several kilometres of the asteroid, the ship suddenly stilled but the force was as lively as ever. It swirled like a Tatooine sand storm forcing him to connect it in a feeble effort to calm the energy, but it felt to Luke as though the force was controlling him instead of the other way around.

"Hey, it's gone," said Tycho with unrestrained delight. No matter how self confident he liked to act flying through such an intense magnetic field must have shaken the young pilot.

"I'm guessing this beacon is generating some sort of shield," said Shira, speaking up for the first time, "but it doesn't make sense at all. With that kind of magnetic interference no signal could possible be transmitted or received."

"Perhaps, it's not a signal beacon at all," replied Wedge, sounding ominously pessimistic.

Luke reached out to the force once more hoping to feel if there was anything unusual about this small moon, but he was bombarded with a feeling of restlessness and unease as though something drastic was going to happen. The force being so unstable could not provide him with anything else.

"I don't sense anything too bad," said Luke cautiously. It was too hard to explain to the pilots that the force was going crazy all around him. "it just feels as though something real big is going to happen."

He did not need the force to know that Shira was staring at her comm link in surprise.

"How?"

"I'm force sensitive," muttered Luke feeling suddenly self-conscious. "I can feel things before they happen."

"Yeah like those Jedi Knights. They could like divine the future and everything," interrupted Tycho with great enthusiasm. Tycho was captivated by the force; he loved stories about the Jedi Knights and how they could do the impossible.

"Well…" said Shira uncertainly, "I suppose we should keep our eyes peeled."

"Luke, does the force say whether it's a bad or good thing that's gonna happen?" asked Wedge. After the Battle of Yavin, Wedge had learnt to trust the force even more than Luke did and right now he was ready to turn back on the strength of Luke's feelings.

"I…I don't know," Luke admitted sheepishly. "It's just so excited and restless…I can't make heads or tails of it."

"Perhaps we should just carry out our investigation and leave," suggested the fifth pilot, Pash Craken, who had a reputation for being a "good level headed chap", though Luke did not know him personally.

"He's right, we have orders to follow," said Luke decisively for there was no need to simply abort a mission on the strength of a few jittery feelings. "Delta formation, fly once around the moon with all surveillance equipment on."

The Rogue obeyed instantly and the squadron swept the equator of the moon in a few short minutes.

"Nothing," confirmed Tycho.

"I got nothing either," said Luke.

"Nope," contributed Shira, "unless you count the beacon."

"I guess there really is nothing there." Pash Cracked sounded almost relieved but Luke knew Wedge wasn't so easily appeased.

"The beacon is self sustaining. We know that, but surely if the Imperials were using it -,"

"Look, Wedge," snapped Tycho totally forgetting who was the senior pilot, "it's probably just some stupid back water beacon used to stop ships from ramming into this rock."

"Perhaps it is disused," suggested Pash, "I mean we all the know the Empire had a big campaign in the Senex sector to flush out resistance cells."

Suddenly R2's urgent message was scrawled across Luke's screen.

"Hey, R2 says that the beacon is active. It's not transmitting anything but it's got a data store of past transmissions and can potentially be activated at any time!"

"Stars!" exclaimed Pash sounding uncharacteristically excited. "It could hold some really vital data."

"Or it could just be 'take care to avoid the rock, Star Destroyer Harbinger of Boredom'," sniggered Tycho, "besides I though this was a recon mission on a 'find and retrieve' mission."

"Look, we may as well do what Pash says just on the off chance that there is some vital information in it. I'll get R2 to hack into its computer and download the contents. You guys cover me," ordered Luke.

"How can you get close enough?" demanded Shira as though he had just suggested they capture the Executor.

"He's Luke Skywalker," snorted Tycho and Luke couldn't help feeling a sense of pride.

He easily manoeuvred his craft towards the small iron tower the dominated the flat dull surface of the tiny moon. Small craters became visible but there were no signs of unnatural activity as Luke had known all long.

Within point blank range of the beacon, Luke could see that it was old but functional with only a little corrosion of the structure that could be attributed to the practically non-existent atmosphere.

Behind him the Rogue squad formed a protective circle but as Tycho would say, there was no way in Sith Hell that the Imps would turn up here.

Gathering the force around him was easier than ever as the energy practically enveloped him in its swirling mass of energy. Suddenly his senses became much sharper, he could see the distance between the top of the tower, where the external socket was, and R2's rounded dome. Without any hesitation Luke pushed his X-wing down until the force warned him in its electrifying way to stop just at the right moment.

Through the comm Shira gasped with awe and Luke felt his cheeks colouring with embarrassment.

Well at least she thinks I'm good, Luke thought, thoroughly glad that Shira could not read his mind.

"Right, R2 see if you can link to the socket and be quick about it, I'd hate to miss dinner."

R2 said something rather rude and proceeded to stretch out his little claws to the beacon's main computer.

"It's strange system," R2's anxious statement glowed on the screen before Luke.

"Well, I'm sure you can hack it anyway."

"Of course I can." Was the indignant reply.

"Hey, how's it going?" demanded Tycho over the comm as he kept his X-wing stationary.

"R2 says the computer has a system he doesn't recognise. It doesn't appear to be any Imperial code we've ever come across."

"Precisely!" cried Wedge triumphantly. "I knew the Imperials had something to hide here."

"No, Wedge," interrupted Luke before his friend could construct a whole conspiracy theory. "It's probably because it's some sort of unofficial, illegal thing. Anyway it doesn't matter now R2's got the data."

"We're going home!" cried Tycho, "Meatballs for dinner…"

"Luke!"

It was Leia running up to him as though she was so glad he hadn't committed suicide yet.

"Hi, Leia," muttered Luke.

"Evening, Your Highness," said Wedge politely.

"Oh, call me Leia."

"Have the techs cracked the code yet," demanded Luke before Wedge could correct himself.

"That data you bought back is really odd you know," replied Leia, her face taking on a pensive look as though she found the matter to be academically interesting. "They say it's coded but not according to any Imperial or Alliance schematic, though there are elements of both in the encrypting. I suppose it must be unofficial, probably to do with smuggling or illegal trading."

"The intelligence said that they had detected tangible Imperial interest in that beacon."

Luke sounded just short of whining but he fervently wished that the mission had not been in vain. So many leads had come to dead ends so far and somewhere the Second Death star was being built free from Rebel interference.

"Well, you have to agree it's good that Empire has kept its nose out of one corner of this galaxy. Besides it might still be of some use to us, heaven knows there a lot more to this war than the Empire."

Suddenly the comm link dangling from the Princess's slender hip started to beep and she hurriedly grabbed it before passing personnel used the noise as an excuse to stare at her.

"General Rieekan…yes they're right here…we'll be right there!" turning back to the two bewildered pilots, Leia cried, "they've cracked it and it's a virtual gold mine!"

Ten minutes later Luke sat squeezed between Rieekan and Madine looking completely flabbergasted.

"It's can't be," exclaimed Rieekan looking for all his worth like a fish out of water. "The Empire has only been in existence for 24 years."

"Yes but it clearly says these transmissions are 64 and 65 years after the formation of the Empire," said the technician in an unpleasantly patronising tone.

"Well, perhaps the computer was busted," offered Wedge reasonably. "I didn't get a closer look but that moon was the size of an asteroid and pretty scarred to boot."

"There are no signs of corruption or damage in any part of the data Commander Skywalker retrieved. According to the records this beacon was used by the Empire, then abandoned for twenty years after which it was reactivated to deal with a certain "Vong". We still have no idea what this code name is referring to. After an intensive period of activity this beacon lay dormant for another fifteen years and it was then that the last two transmissions were made."

The patronising technician pointed to the last two entries on the holo projector with the date July 64 EGE and in brackets beside the date, almost as an after thought, was another date: July 40 ABY.

"You all know that EGE means the Establishment of the Galactic Empire, therefore ABY we have taken to mean after the battle of Yavin."

Luke wondered how much more surprise he could take before passing out cold. It was one thing obtaining ground breaking Imperial intelligence, but quite another to find that the said intelligence actually came from the future.

"This is preposterous," snapped Madine. "Are you leading us to believe that these transmission or what ever they are came from the future?"

"Well currently that is our theory, yes," replied the technician looking as serene as a Jedi Master.

"We all know that time travel -," began Leia, who sounded slightly flustered but Luke could sense her growing excitement through the force.

"Yes, but the pilots have reported that there was a very intense magnetic field around the beacon," said Truman, the senior Communications Officer.

"It wasn't that intense," admitted Luke hesitantly, "nothing a lone x-wing couldn't handle."

"All the same, we can't really rule anything out until we can go back and get a check up on that beacon, a full check up," stated Truman and Luke was unnerved to sense that the man was actually happy about the development.

"Very well," said General Rieekan solemnly, "I'll send a team of specialist escorted by the Rogue Squad tomorrow to investigate."

Wedge and Luke exchanged very worried looks.

Darth Vader looked worried, though no one could actually see his facial expression nor did anyone actually know what he looked like. There had been a time when people gazed upon his face with envy or joy but now…well, he liked to think fear was a much better emotion.

The report from his spy had been less than favourable. The Rebels had got there first but as usual the disorganized band of criminals had totally missed the point. Those useless dissidents could not possibly fathom what was really going on but Vader knew that they would still be a great hindrance.

It was time to put a discreet stop to their activities.

However he had other things to see to right now, the most important being a call to his Sith Master, who was impatiently waiting an update on their latest venture.

"Lord Vader," said the blue figure of the Emperor looking down at the kneeling figure with approval.

"Yes Master,"

"You have brought me good news." It was a statement for the Emperor prided himself on being able to accurately divine the future. However this time Vader seriously doubted the Emperor's abilities. Rebel interference was not good news.

"Master, the Rebels have discovered the object of our investigation," rumbled Vader.

"I know, Lord Vader, but they are a simple nuisance. They cannot possibly fathom what we have discovered."

"No, master," agreed Vader hoping that the Emperor would be appeased by his submission.

"I sense that you are wary of this phenomena, I sense fear in you."

"I am not afraid, my master. I live to inspire fear in others."

"And so you do, Lord Vader," said the Emperor contemplatively. "I want you to personally investigate this time portal and bring me the details by tomorrow. If it indeed behaves as I have predicted, we will be on the verge of creating a power greater than anything that has ever come before."

"Yes, master," said Vader hoping to keep the sarcasm out of his voice. Of all the Emperor's schemes, time travel seemed to be the most bizarre. Messing around with time and space was the last thing Vader wanted to do but as the Emperor's ambition was insatiable he had little choice.

The transmission was cut and that left only one thing for Vader to do: organize an expedition.

AN: Setting the scene for a big reunion. Please review - it means so much to me that someone actually boths to respond to the words I type.