This took more work than I thought, but this needed quite a bit of revamping and I added more interaction between Vader and Wedge, because I just love them fight it out. I am slightly iffy with some its, but I thinks this is as good as it'll get.

It's unbetaed. If you see errors, let me know and I'll purge them.

ooo

Wedge paced the bare cell he had been shoved into. His mind circled around Luke and the prospect of impending interrogation. He had, like all pilots, received some training on how to withstand questioning. He tried to remember all the tips they had told them, how to deflect questions and how convincing lies would best be founded in a scrap of truth. But his train of thoughts was derailed when the door hissed open again and Lord Vader stepped into the room.

Vader's mere presence made the already small cell feel downright claustrophobic. The Alliance's training wouldn't help him much to withstand Lord kriffing Vader. Wedge balled his hands in tight fists.Time to sell you soul as expensive as you can, you knew this might happen when you sat for the first time in an X-Wing.

Vader took leisurely calm steps forward until he loomed over Wedge. Vader's mask was unwaveringly fixed on him. Silence stretched between them. Wedge felt like a deformed protozoon under the microscope of a scientist.

"Your name is Wedge Antilles, flight lieutenant of the Rebel Alliance." Vader stated. Wedge gritted his teeth, the Imps certainly had done their homework. "You will now answer my questions truthfully or this will end poorly for you," Vader continued.

"Forget it! I won't betray the Alliance," Wedge said, putting in all conviction he could muster into his voice.

"I am not interested in what petty information you think you have to protect," Vader said. "You and Skywalker are part of the same squadron, are you not?"

Wedge frowned with confusion. He had expected questions about the rebellion, their bases, their routes and affiliates, but not this. There was no harm in telling Vader this, was there? If he wanted to last in an interrogation with Vader, he needed to choose his battles. He nodded, making up his mind.

"I see," Vader said. "For how long have you been flying with Skywalker?"

Wedge's confusion only deepened. This wasn't really important intel, was it? He couldn't possibly harm Luke by telling Vader this. "A year and a half," he stated truthfully.

"Starting at Yavin, I assume."

This time Wedge bit his tongue. Yavin had been the greatest victory for the rebellion so far, but it was also the reason why the Empire had been hunting Luke so ruthlessly. Ever since Yavin, he and Luke, together with other pilots were sharing a room. Wedge had watched Luke struggle through many nightmares, twisting and turning on his lower bunk, which always ended with Luke starting awake, a painfully hunted look in his face.

"Answer me," Vader demanded more sharply.

Wedge felt the sudden urge to speak and tell Vader. "Yes," he blurted out.

"Is he any good?"

What? What was the purpose of these questions. Surely Vader was going somewhere with this.

"Answer the question." Vader demanded harshly. Again, Wedge felt the tug on his mind to answer the question and Wedge could curse his own stupidity. It was Vader. He was using his cursed powers to manipulate him into answering.

No, he would not tell him anymore. Wedge had no idea what Vader would do with this intel, but it couldn't be anything good. It must do some harm. He had to keep his mouth shut. Vader, as if he had felt Wedge's new resolve, straightened up.

"You will answer my questions, or you will face the consequences," he threatened.

"No!" Wedge was scared, but for Luke he would withstand the Dark Lord and take the punishment for his defiance as it was due.

"Many rebels in your position have thought they could defy my and in the end, all have given me what I wanted, one way or another," Vader rumbled, "I suggest you do not repeat their error of judgment."

"So, you'll do what you did to the princess?" Wedge snapped.

"I had no plans to do so. But if you insist I am ready to oblige you most thoroughly." Vader's voice sounded dangerously soft.

Wedge swallowed.

"We will try this again." Vader demanded. "Is Skywalker a good pilot even though he had no formal training before Yavin?"

"Why do you bother to ask? You seem to know all about him."

"Hardly, and you will help fill the gaps."

"I won't."

Vader reached for his belt and Wedge stiffened. But all the Dark Lord produced was a datapad. He handed it to Wedge. Wedge flipped it on. Over pages it was detailing Hobbie's injury and required treatment. "You agreed to cooperate," Vader said. "But if you chose to refuse, then maybe your companion will be more forthcoming when placed under duress. I doubt he would be very resistant in his current-"

Wedge scowled. "Leave him alone."

"He will be left alone, if you answer my questions."

Vader waited until Wedge nodded.

"That is better," Vader said. "Now what did Skywalker tell you about his past?"

ooo

Luke took a deep calming breath when the chime alerted him on his arrival at his hyperspace exit point. What would await him there? Maybe he was flying straight into the guns of Vader's ship to be blasted into pieces the second he emerged from Hyperspace. The second chime sounded and Luke pulled the lever. The blue swirl of Hyperspace gave way to the black of space.

Luke gaped. The stretch of space in front of him was crowded. He could make out at least six Star destroyers and numerous smaller capital ships. This had to be Death Squadron, Vader's own personal fleet. Countless TIE fighters and other small ships were travelling between the large capital ships patrolling or ferrying goods and men between the vessels. At the middle of the fleet was the Super Star Destroyer Executor, Vader's flag ship.

For a second Luke played with the idea of bolting after all. But a flashing light on the console of his X-Wing was alerting him that he was being hailed. Of course, even if he had second thoughts now he'd have hard time to leave the system alive. He punched the button and a crisp voice sounded over the speaker. "Unidentified X-Wing, deviate your course bearing 0-0-8."

Luke didn't bother reply. He pressed a knob to send a copy signal and adjusted his course as indicated. Unidentified X-Wing, right. They knew exactly who he was, otherwise they would certainly not guide him on a course straight towards the Executor. Well at least he wasn't shrapnel yet. Maybe once he came within the reach of the Executor's guns, but Luke doubted it. He would prefer such a clean and quick death instead whatever Vader had in store for him, but then how would he make sure Wedge and Hobbie were alright.

Luke kept course, straight through the fleet. It was a sight to behold. The Alliance couldn't assemble half the firepower at once and this was only a small portion of the Empire's navy. No-one bothered him on his way through the fleet, but within minutes of his arrival in the system he acquired a shadow of several TIE fighters. It was unnerving to have them right behind him, the muzzles of their laser turrets pointing straight at him.

Luke reached for the Force, seeking calmness and strength to carry on. He had chosen this path, there was no turning back.

Soon the Executor was looming closer, occupying the entirety of Luke's view. The flashing light on his comunit was back.

"Unidentified X-Wing, cut your engine. Resistance will be met with appropriate measures. I repeat…"

This time Luke grabbed his board comlink "I copy, I copy."

Luke reached out and pressed the sequence to switch of the engine of his snub. The ship was jolted forward as the tractor beam took hold and started pulling him toward the ship. Luke sat back and took off his gloves. He pushed the yellow visor of his helmet up to rub his tired eyes. When he had accepted the call from Wedge's comlink, he had been about to sleep. Now he had no rest at all. Not ideal circumstances to face Vader, but it hardly mattered. This would be a most one-sided fight, if there would be any fight at all.

The closer he got the clearer it became where he was headed, a hangar at the starboard side of the huge vessel. A small shudder going through the snub betrayed the moment when he passed through the force field separating the hangar from the void of space.

Luke watched with apprehension the welcome committee. Row upon row of stormtroopers filled the hangar, so perfectly aligned that they might have been an honor guard, if it weren't for the blasters raised at him. Belatedly Luke remembered to extend his X-Wings landing struts and the snub was set down. Heart pounding in his throat, Luke undid his helmet clasp and his seat restraints, then he opened the canopy.

Here we go.

A ladder was pushed up against the cockpit. Luke sighed. He couldn't stall much longer before the Imps would lose their patience. He got up and with a sad twinge in his heart of never sitting in the cockpit of his snub again, he clambered down the ladder. The moment he stepped on the hangar bay floor he was surrounded.

Luke raised his hands to indicate that he had no intention to attack. With his orange flight suit he stood out like a beacon against the sea of white, grey and black around him. Several Stormtroopers stepped up and Luke did not resist when they patted him down in search of weapons. His lightsaber and comlink were confiscated, but that was hardly a surprise. Luke let them clasp his wrists in binders without a fight, knowing it would only result in injury for him.

He concentrated on his mission. He would get Wedge and Hobbie out of here, nothing else mattered.

While Luke let himself be taken through the long corridors of the Executor, he kept track of the turns they took. He needed to know his way back from where ever they were taking him. Probably the detention level. This was not going how he had wanted it to, no sign of Wedge or Hobbie. He would have to trust Vader that he would follow through with his deal, or Vader might just as well decide he would rather execute every single one of them.

Luke was being pushed through a large set of blast doors and his breath stopped for a second. In the large room behind Vader stood a good distance away, but there nonetheless. His stormtrooper escort left without delay, the soldiers seemed glad to leave the rebel to Vader's wrath.

Luke squared his shoulders and set his jaw defiantly. Being alone with Vader in the same room was terrifying. It was the image of so many nightmares ever since he had learned that Vader hunted him with untold ruthlessness. But Luke wouldn't give Vader the satisfaction to show his fear. He had sometimes pictured himself to fight Vader, to avenge his father and Ben, but standing in Vader's presence now this made him feel stupid. Unarmed and defenseless he was lucky to survive the next five minutes, though maybe lucky wasn't the right word for it.

Vader raised his hand and Luke tensed. The binders around his wrist opened and fell to the floor with a loud clatter. Luke was confused, it wasn't what he had expected. What did the Dark Lord want from him? When Vader failed to say anything, Luke took heart.

"Where are Wedge and Hobbie," he demanded.

"Your friends are in no immediate danger, Klivian is receives treatment in the med bay and Antilles is being kept in the detention centre," Vader finally broke his silence.

"You said you would let them go."

"They will be released, after we have discussed a few things."

Luke frowned and crossed his arms in front of his chest. "What things?"

"I have been made aware by Antilles that you belabor under the impression that I killed your father, Skywalker."

Anger flared up in Luke. How dare Vader. The casual reminder of Vader interrogating his friend made him just as angry as that the man who killed his father thought that Luke shouldn't dwell on his father's betrayal and murder.

"What did you do to him?"

"Antilles agreed to cooperate in exchange for medical treatment for his companion."

"First you injure Hobbie and then you ransom his life to force Wedge to tell you all you want to know." Luke was becoming more and more agitated.

"I did not injure your friend-"

"No?" Luke cut across him. "You sent bounty hunters after them so you are directly responsible."

"Enough, Skywalker. You do not get to lecture me." Vader pointed a finger at Luke.

Luke was fuming, oh how he wished he had his lightsaber now.

"Who told you I killed your father?" Vader asked, sounding wary.

"Ben, right before you murdered him too," Luke snapped. He looked around. There had to be a weapon here, something he could use to pay back Vader for all his deeds.

"Obi-Wan's death was inevitable, but for the lies he fed you before his demise I would kill him again," Vader said.

Luke frowned, this discussion was not going at all as he had thought. What did Vader want from him other than cut him down for being the pilot responsible for the Death Star's destruction. And if that wasn't enough already, then for the crime of being the son of a Jedi, a Force sensitive aspiring to become a Jedi himself. Yet instead of killing him on the spot or at least question him about Alliance intel, Vader was trying to drag him into a conversation about Luke's past. This had to be a ploy, something to lure Luke onto a minefield to destroy what he held dear.

"What lies," he demanded despite himself. He shouldn't let Vader dictate this conversation yet nagging curiosity was driving him on.

"I did not kill your father, Luke."

Luke's frown deepened. Why would Vader be so set on clearing his name from the crime Luke accused him of.

Vader took his time to answer, as if he was unsure himself on how to approach this subject.

"I am your father."

Luke's brain stopped cold, surely he had just misheard. "W-what? You-your lying," Luke stuttered.

"Search your feelings, Luke" Vader urged.

"No," Luke shouted. "Liar!"

Vader took another step towards him and Luke mirrored to movement, taking a step back. he needed to keep the Dark Lord at distance. Nine hells, he needed to get away. This was all wrong.

Vader was trying to fill him with terrible lies, he wanted to destroy everything Luke's life founded on. No, he mustn't listen, this was a trick. Vader was using the Dark Side or backed up further, and his back hit the door he had been pushed through earlier. He hadn't realized he had crossed the room that far. There was nowhere to go. Vader was closing in.

"Luke, you must listen to me-"

"No," Luke shouted, "Stop lying to me. My father was Anakin Skywalker and you-you killed him!"

"Anakin Skywalker was the name I went by, before I became Darth Vader," Vader simply stated, his voice irritatingly calm. "Search your feelings, Luke" he urged Luke again. "You know it to be true."

But Luke wouldn't listen, he wouldn't do what Vader wanted. This was the man that had destroyed his life so many time, he had killed his father, killed Beru and Owen, killed Ben. And now he was trying to kill his father a second time. Kill his memory and everything he had imagined his father to be.

Vader was still talking insistently to him, but the buzz in Luke's ears drowned out the words. Luke saw red. He lunged himself at Vader, an angry cry on his lips. Taking Vader head on without any weapon was stupid, but Luke didn't care. All he wanted was make Vader shut up, to make him pay for his crimes.

Vader seemed momentarily surprised by Luke's incredible stupidity. Luke landed his fist against Vader's chest without Vader reacting. Yet his punch didn't seem to yield any results. Luke didn't care, he aimed his next punch against the control panel on Vader's chest. He continued to pummel it. But Vader regained his composure quickly. He caught one of Luke's wrists in a vice-like grip, as Luke was trying to swing another punch against the box on Vader's chest.

Vader twisted his arm, forcing Luke to turn too, tears of pain watering Luke's eyes. Vader used the moment to pull him in. Luke thrashed but Vader had a firm hold on him.

Luke's chest heaved from the struggle. The fog of his rage cleared away and Luke found himself pressed with his back against Vader, his arms held firmly in check by Vader's superior kicked ineffectually, but all he hit were the heavy folds of Vader's cloak.

Luke gulped down air, cursing his own rash acting and fighting against the veil of panic that threatened to fall over him. This was it, his time was up. He expected his throat to close as Vader would choke the life out of him, like the pilots in the barracks had said Vader favored to do with his enemies and own officers who had failed him.

Over the ringing in his ears he could now hear Vader's voice, still talking to him, trying to explain what couldn't possibly be explained. Luke did one last effort to break free of Vader's hold but the hold on him was unyielding. Luke slumped, his strength drained. With the heat of the rage fading, he could feel the Force returning to him. It whispered to him, he is telling the truth, the truth, the truth. Luke pulled in a shuddering breath, the weight of what had just happened threatening to crush him.

Vader finally let him go and Luke was glad to bring some distance between them.

"W-why you never came for me," Luke asked quietly, more to himself. Or had he only thought it in in his head? Luke wasn't sure. Whether he had said out loud or not, Vader had heard him. "I believed you dead for years, son."

"Y-you tried to kill me," Luke thought about his close calls with Vader, back on Cymoon and on many other occasions.

"I did not know who you were. When I learned of your existence I tried everything to get you back."

Luke fell quiet, it made all horrible sense now. The ridiculously high bounty - alive only - , the whole of Death Squadron on the hunt for him, the number of Imperial agents and bounty hunters on the look for him. The scheme with Wedge and Hobbie to lure him out.

"Your destiny lies with me, my son," Vader continued. "Join me andI will complete your training. We can end this destructive conflict. Together we can defeat the Emperor and bring order to the galaxy."

"I will not turn."

"You need to master all aspects of the Force if you wish to stand a chance against the Emperor."

Luke chose to ignore Vader's comment. "What about my friends?" he demanded. "You said you would let them go."

ooo

They stood in silence in a turbolift taking them level after level into the bowels of the huge dreadnought. Luke threw Vader a covert glance. His menacing form in the harsh light made him look strangely unreal. Standing so close to him in a confined space like the lift was making Luke feel anxious, despite the deal he had struck with him.

The turbolift emerged on the detention level. Luke's instincts were screaming at him, that he should leave while he still could and not let himself be dragged in a cell, which he would not leave unscathed. He could only hope that Vader was speaking the truth and would hold up his end of the bargain. Vader strode down the corridor with wide steps, Luke following in tow.

The startled terror at Vader's entrance of the three black clad officers manning the control center managed to spark a small bit of amusement in Luke. But the grin on his face froze he moment soon they caught up with the situation, clearly thinking Vader was delivering Luke to be imprisoned himself. Luke tensed, but Vader curtly waved them down and continued on into the small dark corridor lined with cells. Luke hurried after him, unwilling to be left behind with the men.

One of the guards opened a cell door and an annoyed voice sounded from inside the cell. "Not again, can't a respectable citizen catch five minutes of sleep in here?"

Luke's expression turned into a smile. He quickly stepped forward not caring what the guard might think of him so eagerly stepping into a prison cell. On the metal bench at the far side of the cell lay Wedge Antilles, a sour grimace on his face.

"Tell Vader, that I already don't know anything else ab-"

"Wedge!"

"Luke?"

Wedge's face lit up as he saw Luke standing in the cell door, but that moment passed in an instant and was replaced by shock and concern.

"Luke, are you mad? What possessed you to come here?" he started berating his friend.

"I'm glad to see you, too," Luke grinned.

Wedge turned his gaze above Luke's shoulder. Luke didn't need to turn around to know Vader now blocked the cell door. For a second he thought he really had fallen for a ploy and the door would now close, locking them in for good.

Clearly Wedge thought that too, "Are you happy now, you kriffing -" he snapped.

Vader cut across him, before Wedge could finish cursing him. "When you are ready to leave, knock."

With that Vader turned. The door slid shut behind him, but no mechanical click of a lock could be heard. Not that it made a big difference, there wasn't a control panel in the cell to open the door it anyway.

Wedge rounded on Luke. "What is he playing at, Luke?"

"I made a deal with Vader. You and Hobbie can go," Luke said, trying his best to sound cheerful. He looked Wedge down, "Are you okay? Did he hurt you?"

"Am I okay? What possessed you to walk straight into this trap?"

"I'll be fine, Wedge."

"So, he is letting you go, too?" Wedge's expression was sceptical.

"Um,.." Luke looked sheepish. "No, he's not, but I'll be fine, I promise. You didn't think that I leave you and Hobbie in the lurch?"

"You realize he will kill you, Luke."

"No, he won't, don't worry."

Wedge looked into his eyes frowning, "What did he do to you? Did he meddle with you?" His eyes narrowed. "What did you say to me when we first met?"

Luke rolled his eyes. "I think it was something about womprats and exhaust ports."

Wedge's frown eased a bit.

"Where is Hobbie," Luke asked, concerned.

"They told me he is still in the med bay," Wedge said, sounding dejectedly.

"What happened to him, how did you both end up here, I was so worried when you guys didn't return."

"When the mission on Raaltiir was done we wanted to have a drink in a bar. I swear we were inconspicuous and everything," Wedge added quickly when he spotted Luke's raised eyebrow. "We just wanted to stretch our legs for once. Not sure what happened but I think someone has put something into our drinks, I don't remember anything from that point until I woke up on a ship. We were bound and the bounty hunter came to gloat. Hobbie managed free himself, but that son of a Hutt came back when he tried to help me. He kicked him and I think he broke a rib. When we arrived here Hobbie could barely breath." Wedge broke of his face turning dark. "I'm sorry, Luke," he said in a small voice.

"What for, it wasn't your fault."

"No, it was my fault. It still is. Vader-, he made me answer his questions, in exchange for Hobbie receiving medical attention…" Wedge trailed off and hung his head, "He questioned me about you, anything I would know about you, about your father, everything."

Luke looked at Wedge in concern. He grabbed Wedge's shoulder firmly, "Stop berating yourself, you did nothing wrong. It will be all right. Trust me, everything will be all right."

They stood silently for a short moment.

"Let's go get Hobbie," Luke said eventually, squeezing Wedge's should and hoping he managed to cover insecurity he felt himself. Luke stepped up the two steps to reach for the cell door.

"I bet you ten credits that they are not letting us out," Wedge said, arms crossed.

"I'm in," Luke grinned. Luke stretched out his hand and knocked on the door.

A tense moment nothing happened. Wedge raised his eyebrows. But then the door slid open revealing the same grim looking guard that had opened the door for Luke to get in in the first place.

"Dammit," Wedge cursed audibly, causing the guard's frown to deepen.

Luke peaked into the corridor. Vader was nowhere to be seen, Luke reached out with the Force, sure enough he was close by but not in the immediate vicinity. Maybe he wanted to avoid a run-in with Wedge. Wedge had followed him into the corridor, scowling at the guard who mirrored Wedge's resentment. But he led them through the corridor and back into the control room.

The officer in charge watched them with disdain as they approached. He didn't seem to be happy to let two insurgents go form his custody. He looked Luke up and down, taking in the flightsuit he was still wearing, that marked him for a rebel for anyone to see. Luke made a mental note to change into something less controversial when he had the chance.

The officer looked at them another long moment trying to convey all his hate and anger at them and his contempt at his order in it. Then he gestured to one of his junior officers who stepped forward with a terse "This way."

ooo