Piett POV

"Captain Piett," Darth Vader called, and the captain stood up straighter, if that was even possible.

Saluting the small blue holo-figure of his commander, Captain Piett took a deep breath to calm his mind.

"Yes, Lord Vader. What are your orders?"

"Prepare the two rooms closest to mine. Make sure they are comfortable and secure."

"It will be done, my Lord. May I ask when the… guests are expected to arrive?" Piett asked carefully.

"My guests and I will join you early tomorrow. Be ready."

Piett's response was unnecessary as Vader cut off the comm.

Piett notified the quartermaster to get the preparations in place. He moved towards the elevator; as only he and Lord Vader had access to Vader's personal wing.

As the elevator brought him closer to his destination, the captain mentally reviewed the facts. The Emperor had ordered Lord Vader to remain on the Death Star. Lord Vader was leaving the Death Star and returning to the Executor. Lord Vader had at least two guests with him. Lord Vader had personal guests. Lord Vader had ordered rooms for the guests in his private wing, explicitly the rooms closest to his quarters.

Piett felt his breathing increase as he pondered the ramifications. Lord Vader disobeying the Emperor, unknown parties aboard the ship… This was going to be a stressful week.

-000-

Leia POV

It was the sound of his breathing that woke her. Leia froze, her eyes still closed.

The breathing grew closer and she felt like a small animal confronted with a large predator. Maybe if she didn't move, he wouldn't see her. It was instinct more than any kind of coherent thought.

A heavy hand brushed down her arm, and Leia couldn't help but gasp, her eyes flying open to see the flickering lights of Darth Vader's chest piece.

"Wake, Leia. We must depart."

He stepped back as she sat up on the bed, her hand automatically going to smooth her hair and brush the sleep from her eyes.

"Depart?" she asked as she stood, still groggy despite the surge of adrenaline.

"We are going to my flagship," he said, "I will be able to keep you safe there."

She blinked, her breath hitching.

"And… and my brother?"

"He will come with us."

She let out a breath that she had not been aware she was holding.

Leia bowed her head.

"Thank you, Lord Vader."

There was a staticky sound from his vocoder.

She started at the sound but rallied.

"Do I have time to clean up before we depart?" she asked meekly.

"Yes. I will return to escort you to the shuttle after I retrieve your brother. Do not dally." He said, turning and leaving the room.

Leia took a deep breath, stood up straight, and made it into the fresher before the tears started.

-000-

There was only a moment for Leia to hold Luke's hand before they started their quick pace to the shuttle bay. Even unconscious, Luke looked better. His arm and throat had been cared for and he was breathing easily.

He was strapped to a hover-bed. That made Leia swallow hard, but it made sense. He couldn't be transported in a shuttle just lying loose where any maneuvers could cause further injury. He wasn't shackled. He wasn't.

Lord Vader pulled Leia to walk on his right and Luke's bed hovered behind and to his left.

Their little procession made quite a stir with the few officers they passed. Apparently, it was late enough, or early enough, that most of the officers were either on shift or asleep.

They boarded Darth Vader's shuttle with little fanfare.

Lord Vader gestured for Leia to take a seat as he secured Luke's hover-bed to the wall next to her. To Leia's surprise, Lord Vader then sat in the pilot seat and they were on their way.

They entered hyperspace, and Lord Vader stayed at the helm, so Leia dared to reach over and touch her brother's cheek. He was warm. He was alive. He was safe… in a manner of speaking.

Leia sat back in her chair, her head thunking gently against the headrest. Looking up at the dull grey ceiling and muted yellow lights, Leia tried to sort through the last few days.

So much. So much sadness. Losing her ship, her men. Being interrogated by Lord Vader – she shuddered and hugged herself at the memory of the round black droid and Lord Vader flicking through her memories like a child through a storybook. At least her shields had held, had hidden those parts that were most important.

Then Alderaan. Her mama and papa. Her aunts and cousins. Everyone she had grown up with. Gone.

She had no tears left.

Then Obi-Wan Kenobi. The last Jedi. Murdered by Lord Vader.

Her brother was the only bit of hope she had to cling to. And even he was a stranger to her.

Before long, they dropped out of hyperspace and the arrow shape of Lord Vader's flagship loomed above them.

Drawing closer to the shuttle bay, the flagship blotted out the stars- though after seeing the Death Star, it almost seemed a reasonable size.

Unlike their exit, this time there was a platoon of Stormtroopers and a handful of officers to receive them.

Lord Vader stood, and Leia hurriedly unbuckled herself.

The ramp lowered and, with a gesture, Luke's hover-bed fell into line once again.

Lord Vader waited for Leia to take her place at his side and they exited the shuttle, whisps of exhaust trailing around their feet.

One slight officer approached, his face carefully blank and his uniform impeccable.

"Lord Vader," the officer greeted with a bow of his head.

"Captain Piett, these are my guests. Please see to it that they are treated accordingly."

"It will be done, my Lord," Piett responded.

"Take them to their rooms. I will join you there shortly. We have much to discuss."

"Yes, my Lord."

As Lord Vader strode away, Captain Piett gestured for two of the Stormtroopers to follow and dismissed the rest of the men.

Leia's eyes tracked Lord Vader's exit and a sudden sense of vulnerability struck her. He was terrifying, but he offered both her and Luke a measure of protection. Now she was alone, following the stoic captain and flanked by two faceless Stormtroopers, her unconscious brother at her side.

Leia kept her eyes down, silently trailing the captain. At last, they arrived and she was shown into a small suite.

"These are your quarters," Piett said, "Your companion's quarters are across the hall."

Leia opened her mouth to protest. She had assumed that she and Luke would share a space.

She stopped. These were Lord Vader's orders. She didn't know why she had thought that she would be able to see Luke, nevertheless share a room with him.

Willingly, she reminded herself.

She nodded and walked quietly in, flinching as she heard the door hiss shut and lock behind her.