Summary: He hadn't been certain, if push came to shove and he was forced to decide between the Rebellion or his father, who he would choose.

Now he knew.

Loyalty

"For the final topic on tonight's agenda, we will be discussing something of the utmost importance and secrecy. It is imperative that what is said here, stays here."

Luke fought back a groan and instead opened a new tab on his datapad and began to doodle sketches of his X-wing. A three hour meeting was enough to drive anyone insane and this one had been important but also boring as hell. On top of that, he had been fighting a headache all day and just wanted to take a cold shower and sleep before he did a twelve hour patrol shift in the morning.

"There is no simple way to say this," Mon Mothma continued speaking. "But, one of our agents on the SSD Executor has reported a unique and promising opportunity to eliminate Supreme Commander Darth Vader."

A cold, tense sort of feeling came over him. Luke forced himself to not outwardly react. Instead, he slowly switched off his datapad and looked up, headache and boredom completely forgotten.

Everyone around him sat up as well, their thoughts and feelings sharpening as their attention refocused on the speakers. Luke felt curiosity and excitement and even a malicious sort of hatred flicker with a strange sort of intensity in the Force. No one in the Rebellion had any sort of reason to like Darth Vader - and truthfully speaking, neither did he.

Except, Vader was his father.

He knew it - had known it was true the second Vader had revealed the truth to him on Bespin a nd even if it shouldn't… it meant something to him. Family was family and always would be.

"I'm confident that each of you can appreciate the significance of this. Know that each of you have been carefully selected to know about and offer commentary as we prepare to move forward with this. We consider your loyalty to the Rebellion to be absolute."

Luke glanced around the room, at the people who he fought with and served with and would die for. They were good people and many had given everything for a worthy cause. They had all lost something in this war. Killing Vader would be a huge step in ending it. He should want this, for them if not for himself.

He didn't.

Swallowing thickly, and aware that what he was doing would be considered treason of the nth degree, Luke slowly, very slowly reached for the Force bond sitting quietly in the back of his mind. He touched it hesitantly, feeling like a child poking their parent while they were asleep in bed, hoping to get their attention without causing a stir. It quivered like the string of an instrument and brightened after a few seconds. He knew the moment when he caught Vader's attention and felt as it turned towards him.

He had never done this before and after a few seconds, it seemed as though a sort of silent question was sent his way. His prosthetic hand was clenched into a tight fist under the table.

Breathing slowly, Luke opened their connection for the first time. He didn't extend any greetings to the man that was his father and he offered no forgiveness for what had happened in their previous encounter. He just let the connection stay open as High Command began to discuss their plan.

He felt Vader's attention sharpen and Luke got the faint impression of him leaning in closer to listen to what was being said.

It was a detailed plan. Thorough and well-thought out. Everything was calculated, down to exact seconds. All of it was hinging on the fact that his father was apparently due to have surgery soon and would be out of his life support suit.

Vulnerable.

It seemed wrong to take someone out that way. Unfair. Cruel.

The list of adjectives could go on. Luke knew he was justifying himself and yet he continued to give his father everything. The day, the time, even the name of the spy who would do it. Every little detail, down to the very methods that would be used in order to keep Vader down and out for the count.

As it all wrapped up, Luke slowly began to close the connection between them again, but not before a faint whispering thank you made its way to him. Luke paused and then whispered back, be careful, before finally closing the connection once more.

Bespin had changed a lot of things for him. His understanding of the galaxy and his place in it had been all jumbled up and he wasn't really sure who he was anymore. He hadn't been certain, if push came to shove and he was forced to decide between the Rebellion or his father, who he would choose.

Now he knew.

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