Hostage Crisis Part 1

The new building was better because Dad had a workshop. It was below their apartment and stuck out a little from the building. Lots of different people brought all kinds of things over and Dad improved them. It was ace when people brought over speedbikes and speeders. Luke wasn't allowed to test drive them yes, but one day it was gonna happen. He was eight and a quarter now, which meant it wasn't too far away.

The rest of the place was better too. The floor was softer, though still more grey than anything and there were rooms for just them and rooms for the people that Mom had to talk to in order for them to listen to what she had to say.

He was allowed in them, but usually there wasn't anything interesting. Unlike today which looked like a black-market discount sale.

Droids were everywhere. Loaned out for the senate because adults were having dinner. It didn't seem that fair; Luke was never allowed to be that picky when deciding what he wanted for dinner!

He perched sort of out of the way with the datapad, scanning through the text that he was meant to be reading about the history of the Galactic Republic. He was gonna start school soon, and they'd given him stuff to get him started.

Luke had a sinking feeling about school; he had a feeling it was going to be a lot of sitting down and reading.

Mom was in the middle of everything, checking what the droids brought her as she picked out an evening from a hologram and muttered about different senators and envoys. Dad was leaning against the wall watching her, looking both amused and slightly concerned.

Luke liked them being together. It was…cosy, he thought as he glanced up to see Dad take Mom by the shoulders and gaze down into her eyes, as if he was saying something important. It made everything warm and soft and right.

Which was ruined when Threepio started to interfere.

Stars, the droid was bossy. Sometimes, if Mom was busy and Dad was out, Threepio would be in charge and it was awful. Luke had to do his work and couldn't eat sweet things and he wasn't meant to play balancing or jumping. Not that Threepio could really stop him but having the droid following him around and talking about percentages and just worrying and nagging really killed the joy.

Artoo was much better. He could fly and he made Luke grin sometimes with his well-placed noises. And Artoo seemed to be scolded almost as much as Luke was, which was good. Like they had something in common.

"Can I go?" Luke asked when Dad sent the two droids off for a mission.

"Go where?" Dad asked absently as he lifted his arm for Luke to duck under.

Pressing himself up against Dad's side and poking the lightsabre that was now back in its correct position, Luke squinted up. "On the mission," he huffed. "The one Threepio and Artoo are going on, to get the fruit."

Dad was so tall. He was one of the tallest humans that Luke had ever seen and Luke had to crane his head back to look up at him. "You have a more important mission," Dad said. "You need to finish that." He tapped at Luke's datapad.

Luke groaned, tipping his head all the way back and leaning heavily on Dad's arm. It was okay though; Dad was strong and his arm stayed where it was, even with Luke leaning back heavily on it.

"And Obi-Wan calls me dramatic," Dad muttered.

Xxx

Within a few hours, the place was flooded with senators and other people that Mom worked with. She said that they were important and then explained why, but Luke didn't bother to listen that hard. He stayed close to Dad who seemed happy enough to use him as a shield.

"You've grown," Senator Organa said, smiling down at Luke. "I think you were up to here last time I saw you," he added, pointing at his hip.

"I'm gonna be as tall as Dad one day," Luke promised, eyeing the man up. Luke liked him. Senator Organa often had some sweets for Luke and today wasn't an exception. With a wink, Senator Organa handed him some candy that Mom didn't approve of and Luke beamed at him before he shoved it in his pocket.

Senator Organa ruffled Luke's hair. "Has the Jougan fruit arrived yet for the cake?"

Cake? Luke peered across the party, but Dad kept a firm hold of him. "No," he said shortly. "I sent Artoo and Threepio out ages ago. Gonna be hearing about this one for a while."

"It was my wedding anniversary yesterday," Senator Organa confided. "May I suggest that you never forget that date."

Dad smiled, his hand stroking through Luke's hair. "Haven't yet."

Senator Organa shot him a bit of an odd look, but didn't say anything.

"Come on," Dad said suddenly reaching down to heft Luke up with one arm. "Before you get bored and start some sort of riot."

Scowling down at him, Luke wriggled. "I don't start riots," he muttered, pressing a hand into Dad's shoulder. Then considered it. "What's a riot?"

Xxx

The senate building was the most boring place in the the galaxy. Ever to exist.

Luke could say that because he was a time traveller. He knew. All people did there was talk and read and talk and read and they didn't always listen to Mom so they were stupid. Mom said people read to be clever, but sometimes it didn't seem to help the people who argued with Mom.

Dad was lounging in one of the chairs while Mom finished up. Luke wasn't sure what she meant when she said that. Finishing usually meant ending, but sometimes it took ages for her to stop what she was doing.

He'd been playing with the Delta 7 as they talked, but he wasn't in the good chair and there was only so many times he could use the view outside. Wandering over, he climbed on top of Dad. The man's knees were up over the arm of the chair as he sat at a right angle to the back and Luke tried to balance on the man's knees. Not pausing in his conversation, Dad straightened out his legs a little so that Luke could balance on his shins and then lifted his hands so that Luke could hold onto them to help balance.

"-away together," Dad was saying to Mom, but he switched his attention to Luke when he grinned down. "You balancing?" Dad asked with a smile.

Luke nodded and then pushed forward a little, trying to measure his strength against Dad's. But Dad's hands didn't even move.

"You know I can't right now," Mom said as she tapped away. "I need to push through this bill. I've taken too much time as it is."

Luke pushed harder, determined to make Dad move, just a little. But still nothing happened. Grinning at his game, he started to lean all of his weight onto his hands.

"No-one will know we've gone."

Mom was probably glaring now. "This is important," she said in her voice that meant she was trying not to get annoyed. Luke knew that voice. "We both made a choice, to protect those who can't protect themselves. This is how I do it."

Luke pressed forward on his hands so hard that his legs started to come off where they were resting on Dad's legs until he was almost doing a crouch on his hands as Dad held them up. It was a bit tricky and he had to concentrate to get the balance right as he wobbled a few times.

"Anakin," Mom said sharply. "He'll fall."

"Bet he won't," Dad muttered, but there was a nudge that brought Luke back down. Dad shifted a little and Luke rested against his chest, curled up there. "Isn't our love more important?" he asked, tucking Luke's head under his chin.

"Anakin," Mom said again with more of a sigh in her voice. "Stop it."

He could feel them staring at each other in that way they sometimes did. Grumbling, he wriggled free and down off the sofa. "You're gonna kiss," he huffed petulantly.

They always kissed. It was good when they were together but the kissing was a bit gross. Dad grinned and gestured towards Luke as if he'd won a point. Mom rolled her eyes.

"I'll give you anything," Dad said as Luke reached for his ship again. "Here."

Luke didn't turn around until he heard Mom gasp in surprise. "Ani," she said, softer now which definitely meant a kiss was coming. "But-"

"Obi-Wan used to say it was my life. Seems right you should hold onto it."

Mom had Dad's lightsabre.

Luke paused in what he was doing and watched with curiosity. It looked larger than usual in his Mom's small hands and she was looking down at it with surprise.

"We should go away," Dad said again, softer now and he was standing by Mom and she was looking down at the lightsabre. "You and Luke are my life now."

Uck, they were definitely gonna kiss. Scowling, Luke clapped his hands over his head so that he didn't have to look or listen. Thankfully, the doors wooshed open and someone walked in.

"Apologies, I seem to have interrupted," Senator Organa said and Luke lowered his arms when it sounded like the man was trying not to laugh. When he did, it seemed like Senator Organa was looking between Luke and his parents and then the man ducked his head, as if to hide his amusement. "Senator Amidala, I really must borrow you. We need to discuss the vote."

"Of course," Mom said hurrying around the table with an apologetic look at Dad. "I…We'll continue this later," she said and Luke really, really hoped that she meant the conversation and not the kissing.

The doors swooshed shut behind them and then Dad slowly turned to Luke and then looked up at the ceiling and back again.

"Wanna see if you can stand on my shoulders?" he asked after a moment.

Yes!

Xxx

Sitting on top of Dad's shoulders was always ace. Luke could survey the halls and the rooms and he could see what everyone was up to and it meant that he was always included in everything.

He'd managed to stand on Dad's shoulders and jump down into his arms and almost do a handstand on Dad's shoulders (which they were never ever meant to tell Mom about because she would freak out and yell at them even thought it was so safe because Luke never fell and Dad never dropped him).

"Duck," Dad said as they went through the doors. Dad had suddenly had the thought that maybe Mom recorded the room and they might need to delete the footage, but he hadn't been able to find anything. "Shall we just meet your Mom at-"

All the lights went down. There was a sound like something whirring to halt and then the hallways all went dim and silent.

"Luke," Dad said in a quiet voice. "Jump down."

It was annoying that Dad always used the force around him when he did it. Luke could feel it there, a presence ready to help him if he needed it and Luke always prided himself on the fact that he never needed it.

Dad went to walk down the hall and then froze, his hand straying up briefly to his empty belt. A look of horror passed his face and then Luke could feel that flash of temper that always made him want to duck and find a corner to hide in.

"I need you to be silent," Dad snapped down at him and Luke nodded even though it was unfair because he hadn't even been talking and he was usually quiet. Dad gestured at him to come closer and Luke did even though he didn't want to. "Stay with me," he said. "And do as you're told."

He would. He always did! He knew what that tone of voice meant.

The hallways were silent which was strange. Usually there were the guards wandering around and senators and droids, but it was all very still. Things being still wasn't good.

He stuck to Dad. They wound down some of the corridors, down places that Luke hadn't seen before until he could hear voices.

They were in a walkway above the atrium, Luke realised and there were railings that cut them off from below. Dad pointed to the side and Luke obeyed, ducking into the corner and hiding in the shadows.

A memory was lurking threateningly as Dad bent down and the light flickered weirdly over his face. It was so quiet that he could hear his breathing and Luke wasn't sure what was happening inside. Something bad was thrumming in his head, but also being pushed away at the same time because he couldn't react now. He had to be silent and ready to run.

He could hear people below. The voices rising and falling and it sounded like people were being threatened below. He edged forward a little, suddenly worried because where was Mom? Maybe-

Dad turned and looked at him and Luke pressed back into the corner at the lingering fury on his face. Luke closed his eyes when Dad strode close and dark cape, hand outstretched and fingers curling, shove it away-

"Skywalker," an annoyed voice rung out and the sound of a blaster firing yanked Luke away from the memory. The blast rocketed through the banister and hit the wall creating a smoking scar on the smooth grey surface.

He was up and running before Dad had a chance to do or say anything. There were rules to the galaxy – if someone shot at you, you needed to run!

Dad's legs were so long that he caught Luke up in no time. Luke wasn't really sure where they were going, but Dad scooped him up. Over his shoulder, there didn't seem to be anyone following, but that meant nothing. The inquisitors always used to find ways to trap them even when there didn't seem to be any hint of anyone.

Then Dad ducked them into one of the offices. The door shut behind them and Dad stayed still, pressing his lips to Luke's head and gathering him close. It was nice, but Luke couldn't stop staring at the doors.

"They're gonna be coming," he muttered, wriggling to try and get Dad to move.

"What happened?" Dad asked, pulling back to look at him.

"Dad-"

But Dad wasn't budging and shifted Luke so that they were face to face. His blue eyes were frowning and Luke wanted to hide in his neck so that he wouldn't have to see the worried expression.

"We're gonna get shot," Luke mumbled. He could feel it. Whoever had shot at Dad from down below was starting to head towards them.

Dad pulled him down behind the console desk in the room. Just as Luke opened his mouth to complain he felt something…envelop him. That was the only way to describe it. Behind him, Dad was crouched down, his chin almost resting on Luke's hair and a hand covering his mouth. It felt safe though rather than suffocating and Luke stared at the desk.

The doors wooshed open and he drew in a breath. Dad didn't move, but the sensations around Luke tightened somehow. It was hard to explain. There was an unbearable silence, like a tight wire that was quivering with gathering power and they just had to wait and see if anything would happen from it.

Then the doors wooshed again and whoever had been following them went out into the hall. A muttered, half heard conversation drifted to Luke's ears and he felt the presence around him relax, just a little.

"Kriff," Dad suddenly snarled as he stood up, the warmth leaving Luke's back. When he turned, Dad was staring at the door hard enough to shoot laser beams through it! Luke shifted a little and tried to make himself a little smaller.

Then Dad switched his attention to Luke and his expression shifted. He didn't say anything, but Luke was sure that he was thinking really hard. Then Dad's blue gaze snapped back to the door and he almost crumpled a bit.

Dad started to look around the room, exploring the walls and the furniture, sparse at it was. Unsure what he was doing, Luke debated asking, but he had a feeling that it wouldn't go down well. Instead, he hovered, leaning into the desk and darting his gaze at the door every so often.

"Listen to me," Dad said suddenly as he walked over and gently lifted Luke's chin so that he had to look up at Dad. "I need you to be very brave."

Old Ben had always told him to be clever. And sensible.

He was gonna be left behind.

Luke darted his gaze away, staring at the dark corner of the room.

"Luke?" Dad asked and his voice was quiet, gentle murmur. "I don't have a lightsabre."

Luke nodded against the warm hand that was still cupping his chin, but didn't look up. Dad let out a long, frustrated sigh and pulled Luke in close.

"Do not leave this room," he said sounding a little wrecked. "If anyone comes in and…tell them to announce it. I will come back for you. But I can't leave your mother down there and I can't just wait for them to come to us. I can't protect you."

An old lurking memory of Old Ben facing a dark hooded figure threatened. Old Ben hadn't had a lightsabre that day either. Luke had no idea how that had ended; the ship he'd been in had pulled away and the landing ramp closed up. But Old Ben had come back-

Dad wasn't Old Ben. And Luke didn't know what he meant by that, only that it was true and it was both wonderful and awful.

"Luke."

The sharp tone made Luke finally dart a glance up at Dad's face. Dad's blue eyes were oddly bright and he was looking intently at Luke, almost as if Luke could give him some sort of answer. Dad's gaze faltered and he looked around, before he slumped his shoulders and drew Luke close.

Don't leave.

It was all that Luke wanted to say. But he had to be brave, sensible and clever and it was none of those things to beg that he wasn't left alone again.

Then Dad pressed a rough kiss to his hair and pulled away, striding out of the room without a backwards glance. The door closed behind him and then Like was alone in the room which suddenly seemed much larger and much colder than it had before.

It was like time had changed again.

Miserable, he ducked back down behind the console and tried to make himself as small as possible. It was stupid, but he closed his eyes and tried to imagine that Mom was there, just silently working.

He lost track of time. It felt like forever until the door suddenly wooshed open again.

"Here, baby Skywalker," a male's voice crooned. "Come out, come out wherever you are."

Luke didn't move. He opened his eyes and stared at the wall opposite as the shadows shifted from the open door and the intruder within the doorway.

"Keep an eye on the hallway," the male ordered someone else. "If the brat appears, stun him."

Then the male stepped into the room and Luke almost stopped breathing.

Where was Dad?

He didn't mean to do it. Old Ben would have been furious with him, but all the same, Luke pushed out. Just a little.

It was like opening up another eye or suddenly being able to read. He could feel the thrumming vibrancy of everything on Coruscant. The moving glimmers that he had never experienced before and couldn't contact, but which he felt there all the same.

And there was Dad. Faded and not there really and Luke was almost sure that meant he was sleeping.

He wasn't coming.

But even as he reached out, there was something else. The thing that he wasn't meant to go near or think of. That he was meant to lock away with the force and never touch, not even remember.

It unfurled in his mind like a monster. And Luke didn't know what to do and the panic of that seemed to make the monster angrier. He closed his eyes and almost suddenly didn't feel his own body. The monster in his mind swept him back and he could hear distant noise of something smashing and a blaster going off.

When Luke opened his eyes, he was staring down at the male alien in the bounty hunter dress. The male was dead, eyes staring ahead in shock. Through the open doorway, the droid that had been with him was in pieces from where it had smashed against the wall.

Alarms were going off everywhere and for a moment Luke was convinced it was because of him. He bolted out of the room and the monster stirred again.

It was a nudge this time. The way downstairs, towards where he thought Mom and Dad might be, but then they might be angry and ask what had happened to the bounty hunters and Luke wasn't meant to even think about it.

The monster almost became a not monster and gentled but Luke flinched and stopped dead, a sick feeling suddenly overwhelming him. His head hurt and he wanted to puke. The corridor swayed and seemed too bright. Shaking, he leaned his head against the wall and felt tears streak down his face which was babyish and stupid and Dad had told him to be brave.

The monster disappeared, but Luke suddenly felt exhausted. Shaking, he leaned into the wall and followed it away from Mom and Dad, not really sure where he was going, only that he had to get away. There was a damp, sticky feeling on his lip and it was only when he sucked in a breath to stop from throwing up that he realised it tastes very metallic.

Blood.

He wiped the back of his hand over his nose and wasn't surprised to see red streak. But it was terrifying and he sucked in a ragged breath, trying to make himself as small as possible in his mind.

Slam it in a metal box. Wrap it up in energy beams. Lock it in a ship. Send it out to space where you can't see. Always keep it hidden.