WAIT FOR ME ⇾ LUKE SKYWALKER AU

chapter fifteen

chapter fifteen: training with the enemy

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       By the afternoon, I had decided that bed rest was an effective form of punishment. Not only had I been restrained to keep me there in my cot, but the worst part was being trapped with only my mind. Here, I was only able to focus on my thoughts and my many mistakes I had made here recently. We were coming up on five rotations without any communication with the Rebellion. I knew what that meant. If I didn't find a way to check in before the end of the next rotation, one of three things would happen. I'd be labeled missing in action, rumors would spark of me deserting to join Luke, and the search for me would start.

       We had the same protocol set in place when Luke switched sides. We had waited six rotations to make any official announcement concerning his whereabouts and loyalties. However, we were able to discover his betrayal within three.

        So what did I need to contact the Rebellion? A functional computer terminal and an officer's spike for clearance. How was going to achieve that while I was restrained to a cot? I had yet to figure that out. I pulled at the elastic keeping me restrained, but it snapped my arm back harder than I intended. I growled in frustration before mumbling to myself, "When will this be over?"

        To my surprise, the door suddenly opened to reveal a single stormtrooper squad and the medical droid from last night. I furrowed my eyebrows. So this was what that blasted droid had been scared to tell me. I was being transferred.

        The restraints on my arm fell off with ease, but before I could leap up from my position and attack, the squad leader had me in binders that not even Chewbacca could break. I raised an eyebrow and said, "Wanna tell me where you're taking me?"

       The stormtrooper didn't reply as they harshly shoved me towards the door. I stumbled, but I regained my balance, using it as a chance to quickly size up each trooper, looking for weaknesses and vulnerabilities, but when I was realistic with myself, I knew that taking down a whole squad without the Force or my lightsabers might be more than I could handle, especially with my shoulder still healing from where Lyra shot me.

I was escorted through the hallways that I roamed last night with Lu-Darth Malevolence. I recalled last night's argument and corrected myself before thinking of his name. It was hard to keep it straight, especially with the glimpses of my old friend that I saw in certain moments, like a flickering lightbulb. We passed the training room where I found the Sith apprentice, but we took the opposite direction from his quarters. Instead, the familiar sight of the detention area was ahead.

      Like most Imperial detention centers, it was ghostly quiet. Prisoners on starships weren't common, in fact, they were usually executed to save resources after quickly extracting the information that the Empire wanted. For example, our stunt on the Death Star to save Princess Leia was virtually unheard of. Even then, no rebel was captured by the Empire and lived to tell the tale. They were ruthless in their tactics, which, they would claim, made them unstoppable. Thank the Maker that the Rebellion had proven that wrong time and time again.

       The leader of the squad punched a code into the cell before I beckoning for me to go in. I sent them a glare, but as I stepped inside, Darth Malevolence's voice rang out, "Wait."

       I spun around on my heel to look his way. He was standing taller than normal, more likely than not trying to intimidate the stormtroopers. He looked to me briefly before turning his attention back to the trooper, "I require the assistance of this prisoner."

The trooper shuffled before replying, "By the order of Lord Vader, prisoner 2187 is to be kept in the detention center until notified."

Darth Malevolence stroked his chin before deciding, "That won't be necessary."

"Sir?"

"I need this rebel for," he paused for a split-second, "questioning. She has vital information about the whereabouts of the Rebel Alliance that I have been ordered to extract."

Whether the trooper bought the lie, or not, I followed Darth Malevolence out of the detention area. As we rounded the corner I chuckled, "When did you learn to lie?"

He shrugged, "I learned that from you."

The comment stung slightly, but I waved it off. Yes, as a former member of the Ghost crew and a smuggler aboard the Millennium Falcon, I had learned to talk my way out of many situations, which often included a slight exaggeration or two. However, those situations were life and death encounters.

        I followed him down the hallways back to the training room. Once we were inside and he had shut the door, he removed the metal binders on my hands. "Thanks," I said as I rubbed my right wrist, which had been rubbed nearly raw from the binders. I took time to look at the advanced room full of equipment. I saw staffs of all sizes, training droids, and mats that littered the floor. I chuckled, "Nice place. Looks like you've got all the toys." At this, Darth Malevolence visibly flinched, his eyes growing wide for a moment. Had I scared him?

        I walked over to him, reaching out my hand to rest on his arm, but he stepped away, as if I were the enemy. Then it dawned on me that I was. Where we once were the closest of friends, we were now each other's worst enemy. I had heard Ahsoka say once, "Nothing is more dangerous than an enemy that knows your every weakness." Only now did I understand the weight of that statement.

He shook his head and mumbled something under his breath that I couldn't quite catch. He sighed, "Sorry, I just remembered something I'd rather forget. Now, let's focus on your training, shall we?"

I groaned internally. Were we really going to go through with this after all that was said last night? Apparently so.

He unclipped the lightsaber hilt from his belt and held it out flat in his gloved hand, "Take it."

I started to, but a small whisper in the back of my mind pleaded with me not to. Like Darth Malevolence had earlier, I took a step back, putting distance between me and the lightsaber.

As I stepped back, he took a step forward and repeated his statement, "Take it."

"No."

         His golden eyes looked into mine with a sense of curiosity and another emotion I couldn't quite pinpoint, "You're afraid? Good. Now take the saber."

       "I ca—" The weight of the hilt catches me off guard as he swiftly placed it in my hand. I was transfixed as I briefly admired the sleek design, running my hand across the smooth, dark metal, "You made this?"

He nodded proudly, "I made it to resemble that of my father's, with my own modifications, of course. Now, ignite it."

Once again I knew I shouldn't, but as my finger naturally felt the ignition button, I flipped the switch, letting the crimson blade unsheathe from the black hilt. I looked up from the blade to notice that I was no longer in the Imperial training room with Darth Malevolence. I was...I was home?

author's note
       How are you all liking the edited version so far? I am trying to spend a little more time building Soyara and Luke's relationship since I felt it was a little lacking in the past verion. As always, I'd love to hear your comments and feedback!
May the Force be with you!
- Sarah