Luke climbed into the pod after Palpatine, glancing back down the empty corridor one last time. He would have really appreciated being allowed to go with any one of them, rather than endure the trip back to Coruscant in the company of a Sith.

"You must be very powerful in the Force for Anakin to trust you so deeply," Palpatine said without preamble.

Luke busied himself with making sure the pod was airtight. He didn't know how to face the Sith. How much could Palpatine sense? Worse than that, it seemed his father was already close with the monster. How much had Anakin told him? Had he heard Anakin telling Dooku of their relationship? What conclusions would he draw if he had?

Why didn't I just say I'd curl up behind one of their seats or in a baggage compartment or something? Luke thought desperately.

"You must be a very powerful Jedi to have gained the trust of both Kenobi and the Chosen One," Palpatine tried again.

"Um, no, not really," Luke said, still focusing on the wall, "I'm still just learning."

"Well, of course you're just learning," Palpatine said jovially, putting an arm around Luke's shoulders, "Not even Anakin was finished his training at your age. Of course, I think you might just be stronger than Anakin."

Luke fought down a shiver, and forced himself to laugh, "Stronger than the Chosen One? I don't think I am."

"Well, you're certainly more humble than he is," Palpatine said.

Luke slipped away from him, "No, really, I'm sure he's very humble."

"Not at all, my young friend, he can be painfully conceited."

Don't talk about my father like that! Luke thought, "Well," he said, trying to crush the thought, "He's got good reason. He's very good at a lot of things and…" the sentence trailed away, and Luke found himself wishing more than ever that there was some way to escape the monster.

"My, but you've learned the Jedi code well."

"No," Luke mumbled, "I'm barely a Jedi yet. I don't even know the code."

"Oh, is that so?" Palpatine asked, and, to Luke's horror, he seemed more interested than ever.

"Yeah, I just started training a few months ago. I won't be any help to you at all. Not even a little bit," he added, not caring how foolish it sounded. He just wanted Palpatine to leave him alone. Being in the same room as the man was bad enough, being alone and without an escape route was far worse.

"Only a few months ago?" Palpatine's voice dripped with badly disguised longing, "Why, you must be the most powerful Jedi since ancient times."

"I'm not!" Luke said, shaking his head frantically, "I'm no one! I'm nothing special!"

Palpatine laughed, and Luke was amazed that no one had ever made the connection between him and Sidious, "You are powerful, young one. Why, I imagine you even know my secret."

Luke forced himself to take a deep breath and look as confused as possible, "Secret?"

Palpatine laughed again, and the laughter was different, lighter, "But of course not. You really are a new Jedi, aren't you?"

Glad that playing innocent had worked so well, Luke nodded, "Yeah."

"I'm sure you'll grow to more of your great potential soon enough," Palpatine said, and the veiled longing for an even stronger apprentice sent shivers up Luke's spine, "I would be happy to watch over you, and perhaps help you along the way."

"How could you help me?" Luke asked, forcing curiosity into his voice, "Are you a Jedi?"

Palpatine laughed again, the one Luke knew was fake, "No, no, I'm a politician. I have no skills where the Force is concerned, in fact, I'm Force blind."

"Oh," Luke said, laughing as awkwardly as he could, "I'm sorry."

"Nothing to be sorry for, my dear boy."

I want to get out of here!

"I guess you don't know what it's like," Luke said.

"I must say, you Jedi make it sound like an incredible gift."

"It is very interesting," Luke said. He didn't have any interest in befriending the Sith, which was obviously what Palpatine was aiming for, but he didn't want the man to know the truth either.

"Shy, aren't you?"

"I guess," Luke said. He was willing to take any excuse, any excuse at all, not to speak to Sidious.

"I'm sure you'll learn to be more confident," Palpatine said, "I hope you come to me to speak occasionally."

"Um…" Luke said, casting around for a polite way to turn down the offer, "Won't that be a terrible waste of time for you? You have a galaxy to run, don't you?"

"No," Palpatine said, and Luke was afraid for a moment that he had been mistaken in Palpatine's leadership, "It's never too much trouble to make time for friends."

Friends, Luke thought, he called me his friend. I don't want to be his friend! I just want out of this pod and back to the Temple!

"Thanks," he said, "Would it be okay with you if I just mediated for a little bit, please?"

"Feeling a little bit upset after our encounter with a Dark Lord?" Palpatine asked kindly.

Feeling nauseated, Luke nodded, Sith Lords, plural.

Palpatine only nodded in a twisted parody of fatherliness, and Luke sat down on the floor, closed his eyes, and tried to push away his panic. Palpatine was out of practice. He lived in peace time, and had not made any straight forward attacks in years, perhaps never had. He, on the other hand, was used to fighting, and was fairly good at it, and besides that, had an entire order of Jedi to help him if Palpatine took a step into the open. And besides that, he had a father, who would come running and destroy anything that even tried to hurt him, and that was the most comforting thought in the galaxy to him.

Suddenly, the pod started to bump wildly to and fro, and Luke remembered that they were in uncontrolled free fall. He opened his eyes for just long enough to see the emperor holding onto a bunkhead and looking slightly green, smile at him in what he hoped was a reassuring way, and closed his eyes again.

At least I know of one fault of his now, Luke thought, fighting to hold back a snicker, He gets motion sick.

He felt himself slide into the wall and opened his eyes again, this time to grab onto something. Grasping it tightly with both hands, he closed his eyes again. As the ship was buffeted back and forth, he gave up on meditation. There were simply too many distractions.

He opened his eyes and amused himself by watching Palpatine clinging to his bunkhead, looking positively miserable.

At last, the ship set down with a bump, and Palpatine, still looking very green, tottered out to meet his rescuers once more.

Luke stayed where he was for a few moments, trying to hide how he'd felt while confined with Palpatine. His father didn't know who the man was, and Luke didn't want to be the one to tell him.

"Kid? Everything okay?" Han asked, poking his head in the door.

Luke smiled, and he was extremely glad to feel a natural smile, not the painfully fake one he'd put on for Palpatine, "Yeah," then he felt the smile fade, "At least in the immediate sense."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Han asked, "You think I haven't had enough cryptic Jedi talk from the master?"

Luke found himself smiling again and thought how lucky he had been to find such a good friend, "Obi-Wan?"

"The man talks in riddles. So, what's eating you?"

"That man, Palpatine, I think he's the Emperor."

Han shrugged, "Makes sense, greedy politician gets the help of Sith and then sort of vanishes behind them."

"Han, you're right about how it makes sense, but… Palpatine is the Sith! He must be the one who turned my father to the Dark Side, because there are only ever two, but… Oh, Han, they're friends. He's friends with Anakin, already! He talked like they had been for a while, and I only just met him."

"Calm down, kid, you're getting hysterical."

Luke gulped air, "I know. I'm sorry. I'm just so worried. You understand why, don't you?"

"Sure. You didn't know your dad when you were growing up, so seeing as your mum's pregnant, you think he's bound to turn to the Dark Side soon."

Luke bit his lip. It sounded even worse verbalized like that.

"Hey," Han said kindly, "If he does turn to the Dark Side, based on what happened earlier, I'll bet it'll be to save you."

Luke shook his head, "That doesn't make me feel any better. I'm frightened. I don't want to have to watch him turn into someone like… someone like Vader."

"Then just tell your dad the truth about him."

"But I can't! He's known Palpatine way longer than he's known me! And I've already forced him to accept one unbelievable thing."

"That you're his kid?" Han asked.

"Yeah," Luke mumbled turning away, "That."

"Do you wish you hadn't done it?"

"In a way I do, in a way I don't."

"Straightforward answers, please," Han said, and a touch of annoyance had crept into his voice.

"For me, I'm very glad I did," Luke answered, "It's been great how he's treated me, and it's been everything I ever wanted. But I know I shouldn't feel that way, because from the point of view of the galaxy in general it's far more important that he know the truth about Palpatine. I feel awful about being so selfish…"

"Chin up, kid. I know it's tough to make that decision. But you've gotta get out there, or they'll make you tell them now."

Luke sighed, and nodded. He stood up, and looked to Han for help.

"Palpatine's already been dragged away by the media," Han said exasperatedly.

"Good," Luke said, finding the strength to walk out of the ship.

It seemed to him that Anakin was on the verge of being dragged away as well. Obi-Wan had escaped to somewhere else, and only when Luke cautiously approached Anakin did any attention get directed away from him. Luke thought that it must have been a very small portion of the media that had dragged Palpatine away. There was an awful lot left.

"What was it like?" a reporter demanded, shoving a microphone at Luke, who ducked automatically.

"How would you describe?" another started before being shoved aside by the tide.

As still more microphones were shoved his way, Luke began seriously contemplating ducking back into the pod, and hoping they wouldn't follow him. Of course, probably the only reason they hadn't bothered him when he was in there at first was because they hadn't known he was in it.

"What was it like?" needled another reporter.

"Very bumpy," he answered hastily, trying to slip past her towards his father.

About half of the crowd laughed, and they all pushed towards him with even more force. Luke noticed that Han had slipped away somehow.

As still another reporter asked the same question, he said, as politely as he could, "Excuse me," when the crowd didn't recede at all, he repeated a little bit louder, "Excuse me."

Still more reporters approached, and he gave up. As carefully as he could, he began dodging between the strangers, trying to catch up to his father, who seemed quite accustomed to the attention.

"Wait for me!" he called, biting his tongue as he almost called him father.

Anakin turned and with a gesture told the crowd to part. Luke raced down the small path that had been cleared for him. He pulled up just short of his father and smiled at him, "Thanks."

Anakin laughed, "Camera shy?"

"It's not that-," Luke started, but already his father was wheeling him around to face the crowd, which was now demanding to know who Luke was.

"This is my friend, Luke Solo," he said loudly, and Luke wanted to sink into the ground. He knew Anakin was only teasing him, but people with cameras in his own universe meant a change in where the Alliance had a base.

"Please don't," he muttered.

Immediately, Anakin let him go, looking concerned, "Sorry, Luke."

Luke shook his head, "It's nothing."

Anakin gestured to the reporters again and they parted for him. He took Luke's arm and led him to an air taxi, which opened up for them. Anakin let Luke in first, quickly passing some excuses to nearby paparazzi. Luke slipped over to the seat on the far side and waited until his father was next to him.

"I'm sorry," Anakin said as he closed the doors, "I didn't know it would upset you."

Luke shook his head, "It's nothing. It's just… where I live, if you understand that."

Anakin nodded, but looked perplexed at Luke's word choice. Luke jerked his head at the driver, and Anakin nodded.

"You're going to have to get used to it," he said.

"I know. And I will. That was just a bit… sudden."

"I guess," Anakin said, "I didn't mean to upset you."

"You didn't upset me," Luke answered, "We all make mistakes."

He was rattled, though. He had never seen so many people with cameras in his life, and it had scared him. It was only a few cameras, he told himself, I don't have anything to worry about here. I'm safe.

"I won't do that again," Anakin said gently, concerned, breaking through Luke's thoughts.

Luke smiled, "Really, I'm fine. You're right. I need to get used to that."

Anakin nodded as the taxi slid to a halt in front of Anakin's quarters at the Jedi Temple. Luke watched as his father got out, then slipped out after him. As he moved to step out of Anakin's shadow, though, his father grabbed his arm and held him back.

He waited where Anakin pushed him back to while his father paid the taxi's driver. As the cab drove away, he turned to his father, "What was that about?"

"The Council can't know you're here, Luke."

"But…" Luke paused, "You just introduced me to the entire galaxy."

Anakin stood stalk still and blinked at him for a moment. Then he swore.

Luke laughed, "Maybe they won't think to wonder about that."

"You don't know the council, Luke. This is very bad."

"Come on, you must have friends who aren't Jedi," Luke said.

"A few, I guess."

"Surely they don't keep track of all Jedi's friends."

"No," Anakin said.

"So they'll never notice. Just say that you knew me from somewhere and they'll almost definitely believe you. Say I came and helped out with the rescue. Or," he said, a thought suddenly having occurred to him, "You can say I'm a friend of Mom's. We can say that we were stopping off here for you to have a shower or something, and then you can take me to Mom's apartment."

Anakin nodded, "You're right. They're always breathing down my neck, that's all."

Luke shrugged, "Hey, it could be worse."

"How so?" Anakin asked, raising one eyebrow, "If they found out about your mother, I'd be thrown out of the Order, and she wouldn't fare any better in the Senate."

"True, but at least they haven't."

Anakin smiled, "That's the bright side?"

"Well, it's the first one I thought of, yeah."

Anakin laughed, "Come on. We should get you to your mother if that's our cover story."

Luke nodded, and followed his father as Anakin led him to one of the Temple's speeders. Anakin climbed into the driver's seat and revved the engine as Luke slipped into the passenger's seat.

"How did you meet Mom?" he asked. He had been living with his father for several days, getting on weeks now, and he hadn't had an opportunity to ask the questions he had longed to ask for his whole life.

"She was on her way to Coruscant, trying to bring news to the Senate about the siege on the planet she ruled, Naboo. There was a problem with the hyperdrive and they had to stop on Tatooine. We met in my master's shop."

"Really?" Luke asked, "Just like that?"

"Yeah," Anakin said, "She was one of the first free people I ever met who didn't just hear I was a slave, say it was too bad, and turn away."

"That's an awesome way to meet someone."

"Why would you say that? I was enslaved, I thought I'd never see her again."

"No, that's not what I meant," Luke said, shaking his head, "I meant that she didn't turn away. It must have been a great way to tell something about her."

"Actually, it took her a while to catch on to why I was working in a store at the age of nine, and why Watto had spoken to me so harshly," Anakin said, smiling fondly, "When I finally spelled it out for her, she was shocked. It was incredibly sweet of her, but I was in love with her long before she got the chance to say it."

Luke smiled, "You make such a cute couple."

"Did you just call your own father 'cute'?" Anakin asked, sounding torn between amusement and confusion.

Luke's smile turned into a grin, "Yeah, is there something wrong with that, Father?"

Anakin swatted him playfully.

"It's not like you're never going to call your kids sweet when they're actually born."

"Why should I wait until then if I already have you to tease?"

Luke grinned, glad that his father hadn't slipped as close to the Dark Side as he'd thought. He couldn't imagine Vader teasing someone like that. Knowing he would become Vader, he looked at Anakin again, but Anakin was busy navigating a heavily travelled tunnel, and didn't turn to look at him. He could still sense the darkness in Anakin's heart and soul, but there was so much light as well. He was getting better at dividing them, he noticed. Perhaps when he returned home, as Han would undoubtedly force him to, he would be able to see Vader, merely glimpse him, and try to sense any light still residing within him.

The speeder shot out of the tunnel, and Anakin sent it straight up towards an apartment he recognized as his mother's. As soon as he'd landed the speeder, Anakin began trying to push Luke out, hurrying him towards the doors. As Anakin produced a key from his belt and quickly unlocked the door, he pushed Luke inside.

"Explain whatever you have to, I have to get back to the Temple quickly so I can explain as much as possible. They expect it immediately, and I bet Obi-Wan's making up excuses as we speak. I'll see you soon."

And with that, he closed the door, and Luke heard the lock click. Luke stared around at the dark room, then started fumbling along the wall for a light switch, "Well, Father," he muttered under his breath, "I hope you noticed Mom's not here."

Suddenly, the lights in the room flicked on, "What was that, Luke? And why are you standing in the dark in my bedroom?"