Here I am again! This is another Luke chapter to break up the heaviness of the Vader chapters... A new character is also introduced!

This is kind of a filler chapter of sorts... Lots of dialogue, little action. (Any suggestions on where to go next? I'm open for anywhere!)

As always let me know your thoughts on this!

Chapter 4

"Alright gentlemen!" A clipped voice rang throughout the hangar, "I am Admiral Furan, and as the head officer currently stationed here at the prestigious Kuat Drive Yards, I welcome you as new recruits! The maintenance division is always in need of a new pair of hands..."

Yeah, if I get through with this you're gonna need all the help you can get in that department, Luke thought silently to himself as he stood rigidly at attention, the stuffy dress uniform annoying him almost as much as his regulation haircut. Even after only a day or two of living the Imperial lifestyle Luke discovered a new level of pity for the low ranked soldiers and mechanics, a group which he now found himself a part of as the Admiral continued his speech. Vaguely, he figured he should return his attention to said speech:

"...Now, before you return to resume your normal duties, I would like to announce that our Supreme Commander of Imperial Forces, the Lord Darth Vader himself, has come to the Drive Yards to oversee the final stages of construction on the Empire's newest weapon of peace, the Super Star Destroyer!"

Kriff!

Luckily, that was the only bombshell that would be affecting his mission.

If you call dealing with a homicidal Sith Lord lucky...

"Hey new guy!" A surprisingly warm voice broke through the now relaxed crowd, "You alright? You're looking a little pale there..."

Snapping out of his reverie, Luke looked up shyly at the newcomer. A senior mechanic by the looks of him.

"Nah, I'm okay..." Luke feebly replied, still in shock about being in the same vicinity as his father's murderer for more than five seconds.

"Well you certainly don't look okay! C'mon, you'll be eating with me tonight!" And as had been typical with Leia, the youth was dragged off before he could mumble a protest.

"Name's Clancy by the way," he introduced, clapping Luke good-naturedly on the shoulder.

"I'm L-er.. Annakin. Annakin Lars, " Luke recovered just in time to use the pseudonym the Rebel Alliance had fabricated for his 'Imperial records'

"Interesting name you have there... Outer Rim I take it?" Clancy glanced over at him as they made their way to the mess hall.

"Uh yeah, actually... Tattooine."

"That's cool..." The mechanic bobbed his head slightly, "I also get the feeling that it's Vader that has gotten you all worked up like this, yeah?"

At this, Luke nearly dropped his newly acquired tray, "What makes you say that?"

"It's typical for Greenies to be frightened of the Supreme Commander, heck who isn't scared of him?!"

Good question...

Before either could speak any more, they found themselves standing before the cooks and their trays filled with a oily looking gruel.

Satisfied that they had been served their allotted amount, the server waved them on lazily.

"Anyway, about Old Wheezy," Clancy continued after herding Luke to a table near the edge of the gigantic room, " Common theory around here is that he's just a droid, and there's nothing mystical about him."

"He must be the most complex droid out there then." Luke countered, settling In his seat, "Besides, if he's a droid, why don't they make more of them? An army of Dark Lords?"

Grimacing through his first mouthful of gruel Clancy replied, "I don't know... But there are other rumors around that he's a species of alien that can't breathe the same air we do, thus the respirator. Either way, he has to at least be part machine."

"How do you know that? Have you seen something?" Luke prodded over his untouched plate.

He's more machine than man now, twisted and evil. Obi Wan's words came back to haunt him.

"Personally? No, but I have a cousin that specializes in medical engineering-"

"Like robotics and prosthetics?"

"Yeah. Anyway, he's told me that Vader comes to him every six months or so for a piston realignment. Doesn't sound like something an organic being would need."

"I can see where people get the idea that he's a droid then..."

"No kidding."

A somewhat awkward silence came down on the conversation as the weight of the coming topic settled on them.

"So," Luke began, stirring his pile of mush, "What do I need to know to survive an encounter with him? How likely am I to run into him anyway?"

Clancy looked up from his musings, "Hm? Oh, well based on how battered his TIE was when he flew in, I'd say he'll be prowling around the maintenance hall quite a bit... Hey, you okay?"

Startled, Luke glanced up from his shock. He'd been assigned to the maintenance hall.

"Just terrified beyond all belief! What if I mess up and he's around?!"

"Don't worry about it. After all we're mechanics! Vader's favorite type of people after all.."

"You can't be serious," Luke choked on his cup of water, "Vader doesn't have favorites!"

"Sure he does," Clancy chuckled over his new companion's choking fit, "Every Imperial knows how much he absolutely hates politicians."

"What does that have to do with us?"

"Well, considering he hates political games, who else would he be drawn to but the most straightforward lot in the Navy?" The senior mechanic grinned, "Besides, I hear he's quite the starship junkie himself..."