Vader by the comm when He is about to do something dangerous: "do you remember the last thing I said to you?" Luke at the other side of the comm glances at Leia and then closes his eyes: "you said remember I love you." It just came into my mind. I NEEDED to tell someone. You are Free to write a fic or do what you want with this.
“That is correct,” Vader said. “Don’t forget.”
The comm disengaged, and Luke froze. He closed his eyes, reached out into the Force, but his father was shielding against him. Without opening his eyes, he grabbed Leia’s hand before she could send the shuttle to hyperspace.
“Luke!”
“He’s going to do something stupid and get himself killed, Leia!”
“He’s Darth Vader!”
“He’s our father!” Luke tapped a code into the comm.
“Piett.”
“Admiral. You need to keep Lord Vader on the ship. Stall him. Distract him. Do whatever it takes. And give me priority access to his private hangar.”
Anakin—and if his son could think of him that way, he could at least try to do the same—watched as Luke slipped back into a drugged sleep at the Force’s prompting. Then, reluctantly, he left Luke’s hospital room and retrieved Luke’s things, those that had been confiscated when Luke surrendered. In particular, he retrieved Luke’s comlink. He’d made a promise, and he would do his best to keep it, however. . .awkward the doing promised to be.
Piett caught him on his way back to medical and fell into step with him. Reluctant though he was to delay his return to his son’s side for even a moment, he nonetheless slowed his pace so that his short admiral could keep up. “Yes?”
“I made contact with the Rebels, Lord Vader. They were skeptical, but the fact we withdrew from the battle gave me enough credibility to get a ceasefire in place. They will be watching us closely, but we can remain in the system without being fired upon. They were still more cautious about any further negotiations but said I could tell my commander that they would consider it when you contacted them.”
“Are they aware of who would be contacting them?”
“They mentioned you by name, my lord.”
So they knew or guessed he had survived the destruction of the Death Star. The princess’s work? Perhaps.
“They didn’t mention the commander, and as you had not said anything, I didn’t feel it wise to do so, either.”
“Good.” It meant he would be the one to tell them, as he doubted he would get the information he wanted otherwise, but it was his right. “Order Death Squadron to maintain position and keep prepared for the Rebels to change their minds or for someone to go against the ceasefire. Incorporate any other surviving ships that acknowledge my authority, and keep a record of any who refuse to obey. Not many ships outside the squadron survived, but make contact with those that have.”
“Yes, my lord. Three ships have already contacted us for orders, and I passed on the ceasefire command.” Piett paused as they reached the door to medical. “With your permission, I will contact the Rebels and arrange to sweep the wreckage for survivors without that action being taken as antagonistic.”
“Granted, but ensure that the squadron retains defensive capabilities and that no ships sweep the wreckage without backup. The ceasefire is tentative, and we were shooting at each other not that long ago.”
“Of course, my lord.”
Anakin nodded. “Dismissed, Admiral.” He strode into medical and through to Luke’s private room. Having kept a Force awareness of his son, he wasn’t surprised to find the boy was still asleep and undisturbed, but it was still a relief to see his child, even if it was with the red taint of his mask.
Oh, he wished he could see his boy with his own eyes, but that was not possible. Perhaps that would change in the future, but for the moment, there was nothing he could do to make it possible.
Refusing to dwell on what was currently impossible, Anakin reclaimed his seat at his son’s side and activated Luke’s comlink. Perhaps he should do this somewhere else, but while this room was as secure as he could make it, he was still loath to leave his son unguarded for any length of time. Luke was deeply asleep; making the call here should be safe enough.
He let the Force guide the code he accessed, as Luke had secured his link and refrained from naming saved contacts. The security wasn’t enough to keep Anakin out, and the Force told him which contact he needed.
“Luke?”
“I regret to inform you that I am not Luke, Your Highness,” Anakin said carefully, knowing she would recognize his voice.
“Vader! What are you doing with Luke’s comlink? Where is he? Where is my brother, Vader! I know he’s alive, but I also know he’s hurt! If you hurt him, all the ceasefires in the Galaxy won’t protect you!”
So she knew. Anakin had thought as much, from what he’d sensed in Luke’s mind. In one way, that made this easier, even if it would also make the princess angrier. “I have not harmed my son, Your Highness. He is hurt, yes, but he is recovering. He is on my ship. He asked me to find out how his friends are in the wake of the battle. I have contacted you to learn that information without having to explain to your High Command why I want it, as it is my understanding they do not know of Luke’s heritage.” Nor hers, but Anakin knew better than to bring that up. She claimed Luke as her brother, but she would never acknowledge him as her father.
“How dare you claim to be his father! You mutilated him at Bespin.”
Anakin flinched but made no effort to interrupt. He could hardly argue the truth of what she said.
“He surrendered to you on the moon, so whatever injuries he suffered, he suffered in your custody. That makes his injuries your fault!”
“Leia?”
Anakin winced. He’d woken his son after all. Luke’s voice was dazed and groggy, and he hadn’t opened his eyes yet, but he was awake.
“Why’re you shouting? Father? Something wrong?” Luke’s left hand groped over the bed, and Anakin quickly clasped it when Luke started to frown, worry filling the Force.
“Luke! Are you all right? What happened!”
“Father?” Luke asked.
Anakin could sense his son fighting for more awareness, could sense the effort it took Luke to open his eyes. “Nothing is wrong, Luke,” he said, trying for gentle even through the vocoder. He projected affection and concern in an attempt to counter the sound of his vocoder-supported voice.
“All right.” Luke’s hazy eyes surveyed Anakin and the comlink in his hand. “I’ll be all right, Leia. Father says I’ll be all right.”
“And you will,” Anakin said, but even as he spoke, Luke was fading back into a light sleep.
“Luke?”
“Luke is sleeping again. He will sleep a great deal as he recovers, but he will recover. He will do that better if he knows his friends are well. Are you willing to tell me?”
There was a long moment of silence from the link, only the sound of Anakin’s breathing audible in the room.
Finally, the princess said, “Luke’s friends survived the fight. I’m sure you’ll understand if I don’t give you more details. I’ll give him more details when you release him to our custody. I’ll make arrangements for a medical shuttle.”
“I will not be making arrangements to transfer my son to an Alliance shuttle, Your Highness. He will recover, but he requires medical care. The Executor employs the best medics in the Galaxy, and I will not see my son receive inferior care.”
“The Alliance medics are highly capable, Lord Vader. They have cared for Luke for years. They cared for him when you maimed him. He will feel safer with us than on an unfamiliar, Imperial ship.”
Anakin straightened, though the princess could not see it. He would not let her guilt him into doing what she wanted. He took a moment before he spoke so he didn’t react with anger; that risked bringing Luke back out of the drowsing state he’d slipped into. “The medics of your Rebellion may be as capable as you say, but I do not know them. Therefore, I will not trust my son to their care unless he asks. He has not. And it is his choice that is paramount here, Your Highness. If he asks to return to you the next time he wakes, I will make those arrangements. Until then, he is remaining aboard the Executor.” Anakin hesitated for two cycles of his respirator. “If you wish, you and a small group you select may come aboard to ascertain his well-being and ask him what he wishes to do for yourself.”
“Very well,” the princess stated, at her formal best. “Expect my arrival aboard the Millennium Falcon in eighteen hours, Lord Vader.”
“You will be expected. You will be permitted aboard my ship under flag of truce. None under my command will act against you or any who accompany you provided you hold yourself and your team to the same standards. That includes removing Luke from the ship without his consent.”
“Provided you agree to release him when he asks, that will not be a problem.”
The comlink disconnected, and Anakin set it aside with a sigh.
“I won’t go.”
“What?” Anakin looked up, met Luke’s hazy eyes. He hadn’t sensed his son drift back toward consciousness, and what Luke said made no sense. Had the boy dreamed?
“I won’t go, even if Leia asks. Not yet. You saved me. You turned back, for me. I don’t want to leave, not now.”
Anakin closed his eyes behind the mask. He could no longer cry, but Luke’s words, unexpected and unbelievable, made him want to.
