Although Han never wanted to be told the odds, he did like to know the score. Before he joined the rebellion he had seen some strange things, but nothing, which ultimately didn't blend in with his admittedly cynical worldview.
And now his world had turned topsy-turvey, looping faster than the x-wing pilots in the simulator. He had felt off-kilter for months, drawn to the petite spit-fire who rubbed him the wrong way and made him dream of being rubbed in a completely different manner. Sure, Leia had said she loved him as he was being lowered into the carbonite but he could easily chalk that up to the moment. Some girls were wooed with mood lighting and Corellian whiskey; others had their hearts melted by watching a handsome rogue face death. He had cherished her avowal though he had treated it lightly. But she had come to rescue him – they all had – and Han wasn't sure yet how to deal with having friends who would do so much, risk so much for him. He had been blind and not just from the Carbon Sickness.
Here on Tatooine, he was grateful no one had offered him a bet on the likelihood of this particular situation ever occurring. Tatooine was a big beige blur and in many respects it always had been. That should have reassured Han. It was not even the deep, slightly mechanized, bass of the man who had tortured him that made Han doubt the universe – he was used to the split second change from safety to peril, had made a living turning those moments to his advantage. He would never say it aloud, but he felt like Goldenrod with a malfunctioning circuit for how else could he explain the bizarre conversation between Darth Vader and Leia. Had Vader truly come here to help? Part of Han wanted to take off Vader's mask to check if one of Luke's friends was impersonating the Sith lord.
Darth Vader's intentions were the least strange in the list of unexpected, unprecedented, and seemingly unexplainable phenomena troubling Han. Leia seemed to be talking to someone he couldn't see – truly couldn't see. There was nothing he could do but wait, listen, and hope that when the world shifted again, he would be able to help his friends instead of standing by helpless.
It had been a long time since Anakin Skywalker found himself surrounded by a superior force – not since he had last called himself Anakin Skywalker. And yet, here he was, on the giant dustball, a prisoner of his children and their rapscallion friends. The Dark Lord of the Sith stood straight and tall and imposing, thankful that at least the cooling systems in his suit still functioned. Black was not the ideal color for Tatooine – a fact his son, also dressed in black, should know.
"This is ridiculous," Mara Jade muttered.
"I warn you, Hand," he growled, "one telepathic communication to your master and…"
"Don't you mean our master? I knew you were a traitor."
"Palpatine is the traitor – to the very ideals of the republic he vowed to protect," Padmé insisted refusing to back down from the assassin's glare.
Vader watched as his wife continued to argue, drawing the attention of their captors from the other end of the skiff.
"If you believe that the Emperor is an abomination than why are you with that man?"
"There's a simple answer to your questions."
"A simple answer which you have not yet provided," Leia reminded.
Han turned to Chewie and muttered to Lando, "My eyesight must be getting worse because I still don't see who she's talking to."
"You're not the only one," Lando commented under his breath.
Chewie roared.
"What do you mean it must be some sort of force thing? Leia doesn't play Jedi and she's…" he paused.
The sound of Leia's strident voice filled the silence. "So once again Lord Vader, I have to ask what you were doing here, who your associates are, and"
"Offering help," Vader said, interrupting his daughter.
"It wasn't needed," she bit back.
"I can see that, princess." It felt funny calling her princess, knowing she wasn't Organa's child but his. Still, Vader felt as if using Leia's name was presuming too much. The girl radiated anger. If he were trying to recruit a Sith apprentice…not that he was…
"And your companions?"
Vader turned to Mara Jade. "She's an imperial agent. Mara Jade works directly for the Emperor."
"Oh you mean exactly like you, then." Leia retorted in her usually sarcastic manner.
The red-head bristled. "I am not at all like the treasonous Lord Vader and when my master finds out that Vader tried to save you…"
"He'll pass out from the shock. Or from laughing himself silly," Han quipped. "Not that I believe any of this, mind you."
"No one asked your opinion, Solo." Vader's voice boomed.
Naturally, Padmé took that moment to glare at him. "Oh for force's sake," Vader grumbled.
"Maybe it would be easier if I started from the beginning," Padmé offered. "About thirty-six years ago my home planet was invaded…"
"Great. Is this going to be a long history lesson?"
"Hand, I have a long memory."
"Am I supposed to be frightened now?"
"Yes."
"As I was saying," Padmé continued, "Naboo was invaded and"
"I don't know what game you're playing, Vader, but after I kill Skywalker over there, I will be more than happy to"
"If you harm one hair of my son's head," Padmé warned.
Luke was staring at Padmé, drinking in the way she looked. He turned to Leia. "My mother? But… I thought…"
"Luke, Leia, I thought I could find a nice, simple way to tell you but…" Padmé's voice trailed off at the anger in Leia's expression.
"More lies," Leia raged at Darth Vader. "What fantasy have you cooked up for us now? It was not enough to tell us you were our father, but now this absurdity."
Han sputtered, "Did I just hear Leia say that…no…"
Chewie roared.
"What do you mean you've always known?"
Mara Jade turned to Vader in shock. "If your son destroyed the Death Star. That means you are…"
"What?" hissed Vader.
"Anakin Skywalker. No wonder you were looking up information about the farmboy."
Vader rose to his impressive height and picked Mara Jade up by the throat. "You told the emperor about my son."
"Father, put her down."
Perhaps it was the shock of hearing Luke refer to him in such a way, but Vader dropped the girl.
The girl immediately pulled a blaster on him.
As was his wont, and forgetting his past few months of restraint, Vader used the force to send the blaster out of her grasp. Mara grabbed a vibroblade from her boot and was about to throw it when she stopped at the sound of Leia's laughter.
"Just how many weapons do you have stored in that costume, anyway?"
Lando smirked as the red-headed assassin glared. Luke blushed, giving away his own preoccupation with Mara Jade's costume.
Han blinked. Had she been there all this time, the dark haired woman standing next to Vader? She was petite, small like Leia, and with that same sort of aura around her, as if she were used to command. Only, this woman looked as if she wanted to cry. Han swayed. It was probably just the heat from this cursed planet.
It wasn't ideal. Leia wanted nothing more than to borrow Luke's new lightsaber and …. She took a deep breath to calm herself. She had to be in control, rational. Luke seemed so excited at having a family, any family. He claimed the force was telling him to listen but Leia distrusted having her fate controlled by feelings. She had suggested that they take everyone to Obi-Wan's old home. Really, they should race off planet taking the prisoners to the rebellion before gossip from any survivors compromised their position. But Han looked exhausted and Leia was already furious that their reunion had been spoiled by these preposterous allegations. She needed to talk to him.
At first Luke only had eyes for the woman standing by Darth Vader. He couldn't help but watch as his father helped his mother regain her balance as they walked up to where Obi-Wan lived for 19 years on the edge of the Jundland Wastes. There was something so right about the way she accepted his arm.
He heard the girl, Mara, cursing behind him. He looked back. Maybe he should help her. If Vader could change, well, the rebellion always needed more recruits…
Mara sulked as Vader's son approached her. "You grew up here?"
"Well not exactly here," Luke paused. When he continued there was a catch in his throat, "Uncle Owen and Aunt Beru had a moisture farm on the other side of..." When he broke off he found that Mara wasn't the only one listening to him.
"Just because you're a farmboy won't prevent me from killing you," Mara warned, uncomfortable with the vulnerable emotions pouring from Vader's spawn.
"You killed the only family he knew," Leia hissed at Vader whom she still considered a prisoner of the Rebel Alliance.
"Ani, not your brother!" Padmé exclaimed, turning in his arms and tilting her head back as if she could see behind the mask.
"Stepbrother," Vader spit out. "and I didn't think of them specifically. Why should I have?"
"Ani, you can't simply divide the universe into people you care for and those you can ignore. They were so kind to us."
"They couldn't take care of Mom so why should I have.."
"Sometimes, I wonder if you learn anything. Where is the boy who offered me help?"
" Padmé, I will try to do anything you command but..."
"Command? Am I the Emperor?" Padmé scoffed.
"Well now we know who's in charge in your family," Han quipped before he could stop himself.
"They are not my family!" Leia exclaimed.
It was at that moment that Padmé crumpled. Vader caught her in his arms before she could fall.
"What's wrong with her?" Leia asked, terrified. It was crazy of course, but she felt as if the woman's collapse was her fault.
"I don't know" Vader choked. "I have done - everything I have done has been - I don't know."
"We should go to Dagobah" Luke stated. "Yoda and Ben will know."
Vader cradled Padmé in his arms. "I have no faith in Yoda."
"Because he is a Jedi?"
"Yes. He does not believe in attachments. He advised me to let go and that is something I have never willingly done - will never willingly do."
Luke understood or thought he did. Yoda had discouraged him from rescuing his friends. Still he trusted the wise Jedi. "We must go to Dagobah," he insisted.
A/N Thank you so much for all the lovely reviews. I'm sorry for the delay.