It's What Goes On In Here That's Hard (Star Wars AU Fanfiction)

Chapter 3. Chains

"Luke, Luke!"

"I'm coming Aunt Beru!"

Luke starts to go forward, eager to find his aunt and help her with whatever she needs. The sun shines down over the sand of Tatooine, everything is bright and familiar.

He takes another step, but as he takes the next step his arm is suddenly pulled back. Luke frowns and turns around. Darkness is creeping towards him. On his wrist is a black chain, holding him to the ground. The darkness begins to swallow him up as he hears the blood chilling screams of Aunt Beru, Uncle Owen, Han.... Leia...

***

The carbonite heated up and melted away, finally releasing Luke Skywalker from his prison.

The boy fell to the ground unconscious, at the feet of Darth Vader and his master, Lord of the Sith, Darth Sidious.

"Well done Lord Vader, finally with Skywalker in our control we shall wipe out the Rebel Alliance once and for all. Guards, take him to his cell." Lord Sidious said, commanding two Royal Guards who bowed and came forward. Each took one of Luke's arms and hulled him up roughly.

Luke remained unconscious but his face was already once again drenched in sweat.

Vader watched them take Luke away, his breathing slowed slightly as he drifted into thought.

"What troubles you, my old friend?" Lord Sidious asked, his yellow eyes watching Vader closely.

"Will we allow him to know the truth?" Vader asked bluntly for he knew he could not keep such secret desires from his master.

"In time, but to tell him now would be unwise, we must first show him the power of the Dark Side." Sidious smirked, relishing the new task set before him.

"And how will we turn him? He may not be fully trained but his devotion to his friends are strong." Vader said with concern as Sidious began to walk towards the exit of the throne room.

"If he does not turn willingly, then we will use a different approach. It would be a waste to kill such powerful potential." Sidious responded with a nod. "The old program, yes that will do nicely."

"Master?" Vader questioned, momentarily lost at the Sith Lord's meaning.

"All in good time my friend." Sidious said patiently. "All in good time."

***

Luke awoke with a jump. "Just a dream." He told himself calmly but then he realized something, his eyes were open yet all he saw was pitch black as if his eyes were closed and all he felt was a darkness, chilling his bones.

Memories of what happened came back to the boy slowly, how he had faced Vader, how he'd fallen, and hit his head. On instinct Luke felt the back of his head and found a large bump, it was painful to touch and Luke removed his hand from it, hissing in pain.

He stood up slowly, reaching upward but he couldn't reach the ceiling so at least there was enough room to stand.

Luke crossed his arms against the chill, he had to be calm, surely he'd be able to find a way out and escape Vader, and if not then he had the utmost faith his friends would come for him, they always did.

He reached out and after a few steps found the wall of his prison. It was metal, cold and hard to his touch. Luke followed the wall, keeping his hand on it while going around his prison.

It had four walls and was acceptable in size although maneuvering in a fight would definitely be hard in the confines of the steel walls and pitch black darkness. What was especially strange though, was that Luke could not find the door, his first conclusion was maybe the door was above him, but he decided that couldn't be, there was no staircase leading upwards unless they lowered a ramp or ladder in through the cell, and that was just bad planning.