Chapter Text
"Where is Obi-Wan Kenobi?"
Vader slowly circled around Han, who was suspended by his wrists. He'd been beaten and tortured for hours now, and his smartass remarks had dried up some time ago. His defiance was all he had now. Exhausted, he still managed to grit out, "I'll never tell you."
"You will," Vader said confidently. "It is only a matter of time."
He gestured, and the droid in the room pressed a button, flooding electricity through the cuffs and into Han. He didn't bother suppressing his howl of pain.
When the droid turned off the electricity, Han was left panting and limp. He couldn't take much more of this.
"You are getting weak," Vader said. "Tell me what I want to know and this will all be over."
"You mean you'll space me out the nearest airlock. You're really not doing a good job of selling yourself here," Han said.
Vader was behind him at the moment, and it was always easier to goad Vader when Han couldn't see him.
A hand was suddenly in his hair, yanking his head back hard so that he had no choice but to look Vader in the face. "It is unwise to anger me," he said, voice hard.
No, that's my only play here, Han thought. If he could really piss Vader off, then Vader might kill Han before he could reveal anything about the Old Man. That was the only out Han had. No one was coming for him. The Rebellion was in no position to stage a rescue, and Han had no hope of escaping himself.
Death was his only option.
"Really? You seem like such a friendly sort. You mean you're not here for-"
Han's words were cut off in a scream as the droid turned on the electricity again. For a moment, through the pain, Han thought he might've finally managed it. The electrocution went on longer than anything before, and he could feel his muscles seizing up, including the ones around his lungs.
At the last possible second, Vader barked, "Enough!"
The electricity stopped immediately, and Han flopped helplessly in his restraints. All of him hurt. Even his eyes hurt as he tried to keep Vader in focus.
Looming close, Vader said, "Your continued resistance is impressive but ultimately futile. I do not need you to say the words to learn what I wish to know."
He again grabbed Han by the hair and yanked his head up. His other hand hovered over Han's face, and Han could feel a whisper of sensation in his mind.
Adrenaline burst into Han's system as panic shot through him. He was exhausted, but the terror of Vader learning where Obi-Wan was hiding was enough to wake him up. He could not let this monster anywhere near the Old Man. Han wasn't good for much and he'd made a lot of his mistakes in his life, but he would be damned if he was the reason Obi-Wan Kenobi died.
It was harder than anything that had happened to him so far. He could feel Vader trying to push into his mind, seeking out the information about Obi-Wan with the single-mindedness of a massiff on the hunt.
It wasn't the kind of attack Han knew how to defend himself against. He had only his need to keep Obi-Wan safe, and he held onto that with all his strength.
After a minute, Vader pulled back, and Han collapsed in his restraints, body and mind trembling now.
Vader cocked his head to the side, as if puzzled. "You are not strong enough to withstand my mental probe."
"Just did, didn't I?" Han said tiredly.
Vader continued as if he hadn't heard Han. "Your continued obstinacy is more than just loyalty to the Rebellion. You do not care about the blow to the Rebellion if their pet Jedi is killed. You resist for another reason. It matters to you. Personally."
Panic again raced through Han at this turn in the conversation. On the list of things he didn't want anyone to know -- particularly not fucking Vader -- this was right at the top.
"You're delusional if you think-" Han began.
Vader threw his hand out again, his mental presence like a fire in Han's head. Screaming, Han could feel him digging around. He was more focused now, searching for something specific. Once again Han grabbed hold of his need to keep Obi-Wan safe and clutched at it as hard as he could so as not to betray the Jedi Master.
The trouble with that was he couldn't hold onto anything else, leaving everything else open to Vader's heartless gaze.
"You love him," Vader said flatly as he finally stopped probing.
Han was once again a limp doll as he vainly sought to recover from the intrusive invasion. He couldn't even refute Vader's remark, although he desperately wanted to. This wasn't a road he wanted to go down.
Vader took a moment to study Han, but there was no way Han could read him through his mask.
"He's not who you think he is," Vader finally said, once again moving to slowly circle around Han.
"Oh, yeah?" Han couldn't even lift his head from where it lay on his arm, just trying to regroup enough to withstand the next attack.
"I knew Kenobi. I was with him for many years. He presents himself as such a righteous man." Vader growled the words out in a sneer. "But it is a lie. If you knew the missions he undertook during the Clone Wars -- how easily he lies to foes and friends alike -- you would only be too eager to tell me where he is now."
Han couldn't help himself. He laughed. And then kept laughing.
It was slightly hysterical, a testament to everything he'd endured since becoming Vader's prisoner, but Han made no attempt to censor himself. It felt so good to laugh, knowing that there was no escape and his death was breathing down his neck.
"Good," he finally said. "I'm glad to learn there's an ounce of sense somewhere in all that Force nonsense he preaches."
Vader took this reaction about as well as expected. He gestured and once again the droid turned on the electricity. It certainly wiped the smile off Han's face.
When the droid turned off the machine, Han again hung weakly in the stun cuffs. He could see they were reaching the end of this charade. Mustering the last of his strength, Han looked Vader in his expressionless masked eyes and said as firmly as he could, "I will never betray Obi-Wan Kenobi."
Vader regarded him for a long moment, and Han did not look away. If Vader could sense it, then Han wanted him to feel Han's resolve. He meant it with every cell in his body. He would never betray the Old Man.
"Yes, I think you are right." Vader's tone was a mixture of disappointment and disgust. He gestured to the droid and said, "I have no more use for you then."
The room lit up with the electricity that poured into Han. His throat was raw from yelling but he still screamed. There was nothing else to do. This was it. The end.
Everything went dark, and Han was falling.
Wheezing, it took him a moment to realize he wasn't dead. He was on the ground. Red filled his vision.
"Power failure to all major systems," the droid said in a toneless voice. "Currently, essential systems are on backup power."
"He is here." Vader's tone was eager with anticipation. Shifting his head, Han finally saw that it was Vader's lit lightsaber that was the only light in the room. Vader looked down at Han. His helmet reflected the red from his weapon, making him even eerier than usual. "Perhaps you will be of use after all."
Vader grabbed Han by the bicep and pulled him effortlessly along. Han had no reserves to do anything but let himself be dragged.
His vision was spotty and his mind was foggy. The corridors were barely lit with emergency lighting, leaving it difficult to see even for a healthy person. Han could make nothing out. He couldn't even form the idea of looking for escapes or mapping the area, although a part of him knew he should be doing that.
His body felt like it was shutting down.
The snap-hiss of a lightsaber turning on barely drew his notice but Vader unceremoniously letting go to drop Han hard on the floor jarred him. Han saw blue and red.
"I hear you are looking for me." The Old Man's voice was as calm as ever, and Han both hated and loved to hear it. He didn't want Obi-Wan here where he was in danger, but Han couldn't lie that he wasn't desperate to see the Jedi again.
Vader might have replied, but Han was losing it. He'd fought with everything he had to just to get to this moment and he had nothing left.
He could hear the sound of lightsabers colliding against each other but it was a distant impression. His eyes would not stay open, and he wasn't quite sure why he didn't just let himself fall unconscious. There was a reason why, but it wasn't coming to him.
A furry hand touched Han's shoulder, rolling him onto his back. Chewbacca. Han's friend called his name but Han couldn't reply.
Chewbacca wasted no time in scooping Han up, and they were moving. Han felt safer now but still drifted in and out rather than letting himself succumb.
There was brightness suddenly, and Han shut his eyes.
"How he is he?" Luke's voice sounded like it was coming from far away.
"He needs medical attention." Obi-Wan's tone was quiet.
There was a hesitation and then, "Will he make it?"
Han must really look horrible. He wanted to say that but the words weren't there. A weathered hand cupped his face and finally he slid under.