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Summary:

Piett is on the strangest mission of his life with Darth Vader as they pursue an enemy on Tatooine.

Notes:

Whumptober Prompt 4--Dead on Your Feet. I chose 'hidden injury' for this one.

This was also grand fun to write and so I decided to do a sequel one within this series. :D

Work Text:

 

 

 

Well that was one mystery solved, Piett thought wildly. Darth Vader had a face. 

 

And it was not horribly disfigured or alien—-just the human male face of a man roughly Piett’s own age with a scar on the right side nearly bisecting the deep blue eye. 

 

There had been speculations and even bets placed as to what lay under that enigmatic mask. Some had said it was for life support, but the rest of Lord Vader’s attire had not seemed to indicate that he needed it. 

 

He always wore simple black, though of the highest quality. The leather tunic was of a special make because Piett had personally witnessed it turn a blade on that one memorable mission. 

 

Others thought the mask was needed to support the alien species who wore it. And others said it was actually a droid under there.

 

However, if Piett were to hazard a guess [and he wasn’t that stupid so he wouldn’t] the Sith Lord had worn the mask to conceal his identity, complete with voice modulator. 

 

Something he had apparently decided not to care about now as he faced down the weary looking man with the sandy beard and rough clothing which blended in with the desert landscape. 

 

The woman lay dead at his feet and the child was staring with wide blue eyes.

 

**

 

Piett still wasn’t quite sure why Lord Vader usually chose him for these side missions, but chosen he was, and this was certainly turning into the most unique and dangerous mission of Piett’s career. He’d been instructed to gather fifteen of their best shots without any explanation and assemble in Lord Vader’s private hangar bay. 

 

Only when they were aboard the transport that Lord Vader was of course piloting himself, had their commander informed them that they were heading on a covert mission to a dustball called Tatooine. 

 

This perhaps explained Piett’s presence as he was from a dustball called Axxila which was also in the Outer Rim, and also within the Hutt sphere of influence. 

 

He had privately felt this was the sort of mission that Lord Vader could use elite army squads rather than the navy personnel he’d requested, but then Vader had always seemed to trust the navy more than the army and he was the Supreme Commander of the Imperial Navy.

 

They’d landed in what seemed to be the middle of nowhere, but Lord Vader had strode with great confidence down the landing ramp, cloak billowing about him in the hot winds as he made his way, not to the rough clay hut Piett could see about 500 yards away, but toward the wind blasted face of the rock wall closest to them.

 

Piett had learned by now, not to question such things, but merely followed, blaster rifle ready and blessing the Force that he had thought to requisition eye shields for them all against this climate.

 

And with that uncanny ability of his, Lord Vader had led them straight to a very slim opening in the rock. None of them would have seen it, and it appeared almost impossible that they could fit, but fit they did and within twelve feet the crack widened into a significant tunnel. 

 

They moved through silently and then, after about fifteen minutes, Vader paused and held up a hand. Then he motioned and they fanned out, rifles ready. And with that surprising grace of his, for so big a man, Vader whipped around the curve of the tunnel wall, hand outstretched as he faced what was in the vast cavern they entered.

 

A man.

 

A man with sandy hair and tired blue eyes reflecting the color of his blade as he stood calmly as though waiting for them. 

 

He was straining with effort Piett realized as he approached, rifle trained on the man, and no doubt Lord Vader was using his power against him. A powerful Jedi to be able to resist the attack of the Sith Lord.

 

“Stand down, Kenobi,” Lord Vader intoned. “You do not want the boy injured any more than I do.”

 

Boy?

 

A tiny flicker of movement occurred in Piett’s peripheral vision and he realised that there was a child hiding behind the natural pillar on the ledge above them. 

 

“Stand down!” he ordered the men who were aiming their weapons at him. “Stand down immediately! The threat is the man not the child!”

 

They obeyed and Vader glanced at him briefly though Piett had no idea what his Lordship was thinking. 

 

“You lied to me,” Vader hissed at the man before him. Kenobi, he’d said. 

 

“How?” Kenobi snapped back. “Is keeping information from you lying now, Anakin? It was Palpatine who lied. I just didn’t bother contradicting him.”

 

Who in the nine hells was Anakin?

“That name has no meaning for me anymore,” Lord Vader said, his red blade snapping into existence and above them, Piett heard a small choked cry. 

 

“It is the name of your true self!” the other man stated, glaring at Lord Vader. “And your statement is kriffing stupid given that your name and all it entails is the reason you’re here.”

 

“Be silent,” Vader intoned, and he swung.

 

The blades clashed and hissed. Piett motioned to the men to surround the combatants. He looked up. There. A white blonde head was peeking around the boy’s shelter as he watched the battle below anxiously. 

 

“You are…” Kenobi grunted as he was forced to step back. “ Anakin Skywalker. Nothing you do…” He swung low and Lord Vader’s blade moved eye wateringly fast to block it. “Can change that!”

 

Anakin Skywalker.

 

Piett had heard the name. But he mustn’t let himself be distracted. His Lordship was here because of the child and thus, the Captain searched for a way to get up to the ledge.

 

There. 

 

He slung the rifle over his back and grasped the outcrop in both hands to swing himself up, blessing Veers for the strenuous climbing workouts his friend liked to do together. Piett could see the next handhold and grasped it, making his way to the ledge in good time. Somewhere far above them this labyrinth of vaults and tunnels was open to the sky as light filtered down in numerous places. 

 

He stood on the broad ledge and made his way carefully toward the spot he’d last seen the boy. 



****************

 

Luke watched the battle anxiously, absolutely sick with fear for Ben. The man in black looked so very scary and he was big and powerful. 

 

Further he had armed soldiers with him. Even if Ben somehow beat the man, he’d be shot immediately. 

 

Luke closed his eyes, trying to reach for the power Ben told him he had. He knew he could feel…something…but he couldn’t touch it. It was like an item on a shelf just out of his reach. 

 

Quite suddenly he felt a surge of alarm and he snapped his eyes open to realize that the small officer was mere feet from him. The one who’d ordered the men not to point their weapons at Luke.

 

“Hello,” he said cautiously, keeping both hands out where Luke could see them. “I’m not here to hurt you, son.”

 

Luke scoffed at him.

“Oh yeah? Then what’s going on down there? I should trust people who are trying to kill Ben?”

 

The man’s lean face took on a resigned look. “Fair point. But I’d like to make sure that you are safe. As you can see—-”

 

He trailed off and slung his rifle over his head and into his hands. Luke jerked his own gaze to where the man was looking, and to his horror saw streams of black clad troops entering the cavern led by a woman with skin like Fellarian chocolate. But her aura was anything but soothing and warm. She bore a strange and different red blade and didn’t even say anything as she attacked the man fighting Ben from behind.

 

The officer beside Luke fired immediately and she leapt agiley out of the way with a snarl of anger on her face. 

 

Luke watched as Ben exchanged a look with the black masked figure before both of them turned to face these new enemies.

 

Together .

 

“GO Piett!” Boomed the voice of the Sith Lord, and beside Luke, the officer reached and gripped his arm, hauling him to his feet.

 

“Is there another way out of here?” he asked urgently.

 

“Not without Ben!” Luke shot back, trying desperately to tug free of the officer’s surprisingly strong grip. 

 

“He’s trying to protect you as well, isn’t he?” the Imperial asked him urgently. “Wouldn’t he want you to escape?”

 

Kark .

 

He would and Luke couldn’t deny it.

 

The woman was shouting something and there were blaster shots spattering about them now.

 

“I don’t think these people care about hurting you!” the officer exclaimed. “Come on, kid, we need a way out!”

 

Luke cast a last desperate glance down to where Ben and the other Force user were fighting against the woman. 

 

Go, Luke , said Ben’s voice in his head. I’ll try to find you.

 

Luke snarled, but tugged at the officer.

 

“Fine! This way!”

 

And he led them further up the ledge and toward an opening that he and Ben had found some time before when they were scouting escape routes. Luke didn’t bother looking behind him to see if the officer was staying with him, he just ran. 

 

There. He skidded to a stop and lowered himself over the side, ignoring the exclamation above him as he began to make his way down the cavern wall as swiftly as possible. It wasn’t too high, but a slip here could still cause an injury and he couldn’t afford that right now. His hands were bleeding from scraping over the rock so quickly but he didn’t feel it. At last his feet touched soft sand once more and he scrambled away as the officer dropped beside him a few seconds later. 

 

“This way,” Luke hissed softly and jogged up the dim path toward the smaller cave. This was their back up living area whenever they were worried about being found. They had worked really hard to carve an exit from here, finishing it only a month ago.

 

They entered the cave and Luke sprinted for the exit that he and Ben had labored so hard over. 

 

Then a blaster shot spattered over his head, showering him with bits of rock and he ducked, squawking angrily.

 

“What the kriff…?” he began, not caring about his language even though Ben would have called him on it.

 

But it was not the officer who’d fired at him. 

 

Some of the black clad enemy had followed them here and worse—-

 

The woman.

 

“Stay behind me, kid,” the Imperial officer said in a voice cold with command as he kept his weapon trained upon her.

 

She pointed her red blade at him.

 

“Adorable really. One of Vader’s little puppets. You think you can stop me , Rim filth?”

 

In answer he fired and Luke was pretty sure that shot should have hit her right between the eyes, but she had raised a hand and the beam deflected to the side. 

 

The officer fired again and again, until she motioned sharply and the rifle tore from his gloved hands to crumple against the far wall of the cave. 

 

He snarled then and produced a wicked knife from his boot, backing up to keep Luke sheltered as much as possible.

 

“I like persistence,” she purred, “but you’re just in my way.”

 

And this time her hand motion sent the officer flying across the cave to impact the wall with a cry. And she kept him there as he struggled. Luke realized she was trying to crush him with the Force and something hot and angry welled in his chest.

 

The man had protected him. Imperial or no, his first instinct was for Luke, not himself, and this woman with the cruel eyes was killing him. Luke would no doubt be next.

 

He stepped out and raised his hands to push .

 

In that moment, he could feel his power impact with hers. He knew his use of the Force was laughably weak in comparison, but it was enough to shove her and she stumbled very slightly, causing the officer to drop to the sandy floor.

 

“You little bastard!” she spat and swung her blade at Luke.

 

It stopped cold a foot from his head.

 

“You DARE,” said a deep voice. “You believe you can buy your way into Sidious’s favor with this murder, Reva?”

 

She screamed her frustration as the man in black entered, Ben at his side. Luke could have melted in relief to see his guardian there and unharmed. 

 

Well, maybe a little singed. 

 

“He knows you would choose this little insect over him!”  Reva accused, still unable to move her blade. Luke ran for Ben and then the other two clashed swords, the red glow lighting the room. “He knows you will betray him, Vader!”

 

Vader laughed and it echoed ominously in the chamber. 

 

“It is high time he noticed then,” he answered, shoving her back violently. “He has betrayed me often enough. And he sends you to assassinate me? He grows senile indeed.”

 

He surged forward on the attack and Luke felt the rage. He felt the anger and fierce protection…

 

…for him?

 

Reva was very good, Luke could see. She was so fast and very agile. But the sheer power of her opponent felt rather inevitable. 

 

And Vader thrust through her heart.

 

She dropped to her knees, glaring up at the mask and then toppled to the cave floor and lay still. 

 

“Come,” the man said, and he lifted off his black mask. “There is not much time now.”

 

************

 

Piett groaned and rolled to his hands and knees. It was very likely some ribs were cracked. The bruising from this would be spectacular. He searched for his knife and found it, replacing it in his boot. The rifle was a complete loss, he knew, so he didn’t bother. He pulled himself to his feet using the rough wall of the cave just in time to see Lord Vader remove his mask.

 

“You really think we’re coming with you, Anakin?” Kenobi asked incredulously. “Just because you helped me defeat that murderer over there? You think I’ll trade her for a different murderer?”

 

“Luke is my son!” Lord Vader snarled and it was strange to hear his voice without the deeper modulator though no less intimidating. 

 

The child gaped and Piett felt sorry for him—-an innocent caught up in such violent events. 

 

“A son you might have killed without a second thought!” Kenobi shot back, keeping a firm arm over Luke’s shoulders. 

 

It was so odd to see expression on that face. 

 

Regret. Resentment. Impatience.

 

“I…cannot deny I have regrets, Obi-Wan. But Sidious has now confirmed what I have suspected. He knows Luke is my son. And he just tried to have all of us killed in one stroke.”

 

Obi-Wan Kenobi. Anakin Skywalker. 

 

And things slotted into place for Piett’s beleaguered brain. 

 

Jedi Generals in the Clone Wars. Turned traitor against the Empire and thus had to be defeated in order to save the galaxy.

 

Or at least—that was how it was taught at the Imperial Academies and schools. 

 

Anakin Skywalker hadn’t died. He’d become Darth Vader. 

 

Piett blew out a breath and ignored the pain in his chest as he moved to stand beside his Lordship. 

 

“What are your orders, Lord Vader?” he asked. This was easily the most karked up mission Piett had ever been on, but he would see it through. 

 

“We need to get back to the transport,” Lord Vader said, his eyes never leaving Kenobi’s. “More killers will be sent after us. Palpatine prefers a galaxy without us in it. I see that differently.”

 

“And what will stop you from murdering me, Anakin?” Kenobi asked bitingly, and Luke gripped his hand tightly. 

 

“I won’t let you!” the child shouted up at Lord Vader, defiance trembling around him. “You’re not my father! I don’t believe you!”

 

Piett watched a change come over Lord Vader’s face at these angry declarations and then, slowly, he knelt in the sand before Luke.

 

“It is…a hard way to find this out, young one,” he said, so gently Piett almost couldn’t breathe in surprise. His eyes drank in the child and he raised a gloved hand to touch the golden hair. Luke flinched back and Lord Vader’s arm dropped.

 

“I am sorry, Luke,” he said. “I wish….many things were different.”

 

He looked up at Kenobi as he said this, the two men holding a stare burdened with meaning. Then he looked back into the eyes of his son and Piett could see the similarities in the blue gaze of each of them. 

 

“I swear to you I will not harm Keno—Ben,” he told the child. 

 

“Swear on what?” Luke sniffed contemptuously. “You have to have it mean something.”

 

The little mite was sharp, Piett could give him that.

 

Lord Vader swallowed. “I swear on the grave of my mother,” he said softly, and above him Kenobi made a small sound.

 

“You can believe that, Luke,” he said in rough tones. 

 

“Ok,” the boy said, suspicion still tight in his voice but he held a hand out to Lord Vader who engulfed it in his black glove.

 

“Thank you, Luke,” he replied.

 

They made their way back the way they’d come and Piett hated how tired he was. He’d had worse campaigns for much longer.

 

Perhaps it was being caught in the midst of a battle with Force users. 

 

They passed numerous bodies and Piett was saddened at the loss of his men, but there was no time to deal with that. Apparently the Emperor himself had a kill order out for Vader, and the Captain was still trying to deal with that information. 

 

What did that mean for Death Squadron?

 

They exited the caverns at last into the blinding double suns of Tatooine, now lowering over the horizon. At another moment, Piett might have been struck by their beauty, but right now he was trying to breathe deeply enough. 

 

He and Luke ended up walking side by side behind Kenobi and Lord Vader who were conversing in tense, low tones.

 

One didn’t need to be an expert in body language to know that things were far from cordial with the two Force users.

 

“Thank you,” said a small voice at his side.

 

He glanced down at the child.

 

“For what?” he asked, and coughed. Damn sand.

 

“For trying to save me,” Luke told him matter of factly. 

 

“Oh,” he answered somewhat blankly. “Well…it is my job.”

 

He rubbed cautiously at his chest. Something was wrong. 

 

Luke nodded. “Sure, but…you sort of went above and beyond. Do you ah…do you work a lot with Lord Vader?” he asked more uncertainly.

 

Understandable, Piett thought. The boy wanted to know about this man who showed up claiming to be his father. 

 

He coughed to the side and tasted copper.

 

He spat and noted the red splatter quickly soaking into the sand. Well kark. Punctured lung. He just had to make it to the transport. They couldn’t leave him here if he was already aboard. 

 

“I am the Captain of his ship,” he answered simply. “Yes, I work with him in that sense.”

 

“Oh,” Luke said and Piett coughed again. He knew now his weariness was lack of oxygen. 

 

“Is he…well, does he just go around killing people?” the child asked, glaring down at his soft boots as they scuffed in the sand.

 

Piett’s lips twitched at this. Lord Vader was not in any way what he would call a good man. But he was a fair commander and a brilliant leader. The crew saw him as a sort of talisman. If he was aboard, they couldn’t be harmed. 

 

Rubbish of course, but so far it had been true. Though how much of that was Vader and how much the Lady, Piett couldn’t say. 

 

“No, Luke,” he replied gently. “He has other jobs and duties.”

 

You work for him,” the boy said to the air in general, his tone pondering. “And you seem pretty nice. How does that work?”

 

Piett stumbled to one knee and swiftly pushed himself up.

 

“Are you ok?” Luke asked him, blue eyes full of concern. Kenobi looked over his shoulder at them.

 

“Fine,” Piett answered quickly. The boy didn’t need another reason to distrust his father if he saw him leave his Captain out here to die. Piett was under no illusions that he was somehow indispensable. 

 

Then he stumbled again.

 

*************

 

Obi-Wan felt Luke’s concern and saw that the Captain was on his knees. Further there was blood at his lips.

 

Kark it.

 

In all that had happened, none of them had bothered to see if their one remaining officer was injured.

 

And then Anakin shocked him by moving back to Piett.

 

“You did not say you were hurt, Captain,” he stated, and Obi-Wan rolled his eyes at the cold accusatory tones.

 

The man still managed to portray Imperial posture even though it was evident he lacked the energy to get to his feet again. Luke was beside him, small face contorted in concern.

 

“My…apologies, my Lord,” the Captain panted. “I...am certain I can get to the ship if I could have a hand to my feet…” 

 

He doubled over to cough again and horrific blood spatter created patterns in the sand.

 

“The lady smashed him against the rock,” Luke put in helpfully. “For trying to save me. You’re going to help him right?” he asked fiercely, and that was indeed the question, Obi-Wan thought. 

 

The officer wiped his mouth on his sleeve, his face deathly pale now as he rocked back on his heels. 

 

“You cannot go on like this, Captain,” Anakin said, frowning and Piett nodded slightly.

 

“Agreed. It…has been an…honor, my Lord.”

 

His voice and face were resigned, and Obi-Wan opened his mouth to say that they were damn well taking him with them when Anakin surprised him again. 

 

“You are not nearly as intelligent as I thought if you believe I am leaving you here, Piett,” his former friend sighed, and for the first time, Obi-Wan heard the voice of the man he’d known in the Clone Wars. The man who had slung Kenobi’s shoulder over his many times to drag him to Kix. The man who refused to let Rex give up when he’d been so hurt on that one mission. 

 

Had Anakin found someone like that? Had this officer earned the regard of a Sith Lord? Was it just possible that Anakin’s soul wasn’t as black as he believed?

 

Piett was also surprised judging by his countenance, but he coughed again and then his eyes rolled back.

 

Anakin caught him before he hit the sand and lifted him smoothly in one motion before turning back to the troop transport now visible ahead of them. 

 

“Thought you were done with attachments,” Obi-Wan said dryly, taking Luke’s hand and striding beside Anakin. 

 

“He’s a good officer,” Anakin said shortly, not bothering to look at him. “I need him to help me with all this.”

 

Bantha crap.

 

“Rex is still alive,” Obi-Wan said quietly as the landing ramp came down. 

 

He felt the shock from his former friend at this information, but Anakin merely plowed his way up the ramp and laid the Captain down on one of the medbunks. 

 

“He needs a doctor,” Obi-Wan continued as Anakin started up the ship. “I can only do so much, Anakin.”

 

“I can help!” Luke piped up and Obi-Wan smiled at him, stroking the fine, blonde hair. 

 

“Then we’ll find a doctor first,” Anakin snapped, flicking controls and raising the landing ramp. “Do what you can to keep him alive.”

 

Obi-Wan did so, placing the oxygen mask and following the steps the med scanner gave him for relieving the pressure on a punctured lung. Luke bustled importantly beside him, pleased to be useful as he tucked blankets and administered hypos at Kenobi’s command. 

 

And Obi-Wan decided to play his last sabacc card. He had to be certain if he could trust the man he’d once known.

 

“You have a daughter as well,” he said, coming into the cockpit as Anakin sent them to light speed.

 

The Force crackled with intensity.

 

“How?” Anakin growled.

 

“Twins,” Obi-Wan said succinctly. “So I need to know now, Anakin—are you committed to keeping them safe to the extent of dying for them? Because I am. And if you’re not—-I’ll kill you myself.”

 

He held that blue gaze and watched as the irises began to glow yellow in Anakin’s anger. Then…

 

“What is her name?” the other man asked in low tones.

 

“Leia.”

 

Anakin turned from him to stare out the viewport at the streaming of hyperspace. There was a long silence. When he turned his face back, his eyes were blue once more.

 

“There has been enough death,” Anakin said in low tones. “Let us live for them. Both of us.”

 

***************

 

Piett blinked up into large blue eyes.

 

“Hi!” Luke said brightly above him. 

 

Piett raised a hand to his face, feeling the oxygen mask and appreciating the flow.

 

“Your lung isn’t working,” Luke informed him, patting his chest carefully. “We’re taking you to a healer.”

 

“Lord Vader…?” Piett croaked, wondering how it was that he was here. He wasn’t gasping his life out on the sands of Tatooine. He’d been brought here….

 

“He carried you here. Said you were a good officer,” Luke offered. “Is the painkiller still working?”

 

Given that he wasn’t feeling pain so much as a heaviness in his chest, Piett nodded. Pressure was different right? Having what felt like a bantha sitting on one lung wasn’t exactly painful at the moment, but not desirable. 

 

“Good,” Luke said, hopping up on the seat beside Piett’s head and swinging his legs. “We’re meeting someone called ‘General Veers’ somewhere. Then we’re getting you a doctor. And then I’m meeting my sister. I have one!” He grinned, and Piett’s reeling brain tried to cope with all of this. 

 

He decided he couldn’t be bothered and let unconsciousness claim him once more. He may have imagined the small hand that stayed on his shoulder as he slid back into darkness.

 

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