Summary: The final installment.
A slightly longer one but I couldn't quite cut it down. Enjoy the angst and trauma though. 😊
Urgency: Part 3
"Sir, the Emperor - "
"Get him on," Vader snapped. He seemed to procure a canteen of water and unscrewed the cap before pressing it to the Prince's lip, allowing him to drink. After a few seconds, he pulled it away and brought them both to their feet.
The prince swayed, whiter than fresh fallen snow and pressing one hand to the ghastly hole in his side. It was no longer bleeding.
Vader moved them both a few feet, clearly shouldering most of the Prince's weight. They passed by Wedge and the others without a glance and situated themselves in front of the large holoprojecter device that had been set up earlier.
"Kneel," Vader said quietly, controlling the Prince's collapse. "Head down, do not make a sound." The Prince made a choked sobbing sound, visibly shaking but arranged himself into a position that was deferential and submissive. Then Vader stepped in front and to the side of him, dropping to his knee as well just as the holoprojector came to life.
The blue image flickered, revealing the hooded face of the Emperor himself. Perhaps Wedge was imagining things but the very air seemed to darken and he had an awful, sinking feeling in his gut that made him want to avert his eyes entirely.
He couldn't though. He wanted to see this through - had to understand what it was he was having the opportunity to see. It was different - he knew that it was. None of this was like what any of them had thought.
"Lord Vader," the Emperor sneered in greeting. "I have been waiting."
Vader kept his head down. "Yes, Master. My apologies."
Palpatine always presented himself as a kindly figure to the Republic. Wedge intuitively knew that that couldn't really be true - not with how much damage he had done to the galaxy and continued to do… but this was something else. There was something cold and very, very evil in his eyes. "Has something distressed you?"
"No."
"Liar." On the holoprojector, the Emperor stood up, towering above Vader. Even though he wasn't present, Wedge thought that the threat he was implying was real.
"There was a small issue with the captured Rebels, Master. That was all. The problem has been dealt with."
"I suspect it has," The Emperor narrowed his eyes. "Your incompetence is disappointing and I will deal with in person when I see you next. Now, move aside, Lord Vader. I wish to speak to your son."
Vader hesitated, twitching slightly. There was no emotion that anyone could see - his mask hid that from everyone… but Wedge thought that what he was probably feeling was dread.
Slowly, he shifted to the side, allowing the Prince to be seen more fully.
The Prince shuddered once and then answered. "Master," he acknowledged, a tremor in his voice. It was the only indication there was that he was in any pain at all. He'd had a literal hole blown in his side and had been stabbed with a lethal weapon and he was hiding it.
The level of self control he had was unreal.
It didn't seem to matter though.
"You're injured." The Emperor sneered at him. "How dare you damage yourself."
"Forgive me," the Prince forced out, hands still trembling.
"No." The Prince closed his eyes, swallowing thickly. There was sweat dripping down his temples.
"Careless. Stupid. You aren't worth the effort it will take to repair, boy." The Emperor continued cruelly, as if it had personally been the Prince's fault that he'd gotten injured. "Remember that, when you're under the knife. I expect that this won't interfere with any of my plans."
"No, Master." The Prince whispered.
The Emperor made a sound of disgust, turning to look at Vader once again. He was holding very still, but there was an angry air about him as well now. A different sort of darkness, outside of Palpatine's cold and evil rage. "No pain medication. Both of you will report to Coruscant within the week."
The second the call ended, the Imperial Prince collapsed forward on his forearms, barely holding himself up and uttering a soft cry of pain. Lord Vader shot to his feet and lifted the prince into his arms, cradling him against his chest.
The stormtrooper who'd first removed his helmet rushed forward. "Sir, a shuttle is on its way. ETA is three minutes. The Executor has been contacted and a trauma unit is already on standby."
"Kill the rest of the Rebels," Vader snapped, already striding away. "No prisoners."
The last thing Wedge saw was the Imperial Prince being laid out on a stretcher, with people professionally panicking around him. The last thought he had before a blaster bolt went through his skull was that he wished there was some way to let the Rebellion know that neither Lord Vader or Prince Luke were the real monsters in their war after all, and that they probably needed help just like the rest of the oppressed people of the galaxy did.
A/N Oof, am I evil or what? XD Thanks for reading!