Prequel to 'Saving Skywalker' because why not?
Warning for torture themes, harassment, molestation, and heavily implied rape.

___

Luke Skywalker smiled softly as his fellow Jedi Kirana Ti offered him a small beverage. They sat in the alley way on Coruscant outside a dank bar. Jedi Master Luke Skywalker had been called to Coruscant to hear tell of a possible terrorist threat to the Republic city and follow up on an anonymous tip. He had brought Kirana as she was the only available Jedi and he believed she would be of great insight. Kirana was from Dathomir, a young witch who had wished to expand upon her abilities and trade as a Jedi. She had been one of his very first students and Luke trusted in her abilities and her friendship.

Taking the beverage Luke gave it a few sips. "It's good."

Kirana grinned. "I slipped a bit of herb in there."

"That explains it." Luke nodded and laughed, finishing off the drink. "What did you learn?"

"I believe there is likelihood of a threat. There was a man who kept watching me. I thought perhaps he had never seen a Jedi, or maybe he thought me pretty but..." Kirana shook her head. "There was something else. He could mask his intentions and his mind is strong."

All this Luke paid rapt attention to. "It isn't much to go on... but neither was that anyonmous tip. Will you be able to identify him when he leaves the bar?"

Kirana nodded. "I will."

"Looks like we have ourselves an old fashioned stake out." Luke said, wrapping his cloak tighter about himself.

***

It was several hours of waiting before Kirana finally spotted the man she had eyed in the bar. He came out without a stumble and looked rather sober for having been in a bar all that time.

Together the Jedi tailed him, keeping to the shadows and crowds as the nightlife of Coruscant began. But the man went away from the lights and the spectacles of the city, going instead to the deep holes and quiet sewers. Luke and Kirana eventually discarded their outer robes as they followed into the damp recesses of Coruscant's artificial skin.

"Where did he go?" Kirana whispered into the dark.

Luke reached out and found her hand as it blindly grasped for his. They did not dare use their lightsabers to see just yet. The drainage pipe they now stood before was pitch black and appeared to have no end.

"Try and stay close." Luke decided, letting Kirana go to hold onto the sides of the tunnel. They shimmied down the pipe carefully, wary of the literal slippery slope they traveled.

Luke could hear nothing. He could not sense anything either besides Kirana's presence behind him. But eventually, finally, a light was ahead. Dim but there and waiting. "Almost there." Luke promised. Kirana sighed in relief. They were both exhausted from pressing their legs and arms into the metal tunnel to stand firm.

They exited the drainage pipe, coming out into a dimly lit sewage chamber. Water had flooded the place.

"That's odd." Luke mused.

"What?" Kirana asked.

Luke shook his head. "Chambers like these drain the water out when it's too high. This chamber is broken. Or..."

"Someone's been tampering." Kirana finished in understanding.

Luke never got the chance to find out what had caused the clog. The Force gave the faintest of whispers. Luke drew his lightsaber and turned towards Kirana. Her hand was over her neck. Her other held what looked like a dart.

"Kirana?"

Luke came to her side as she stumbled to her knees in the water. "I've been tagged." She muttered.

Luke kept his lightsaber raised. His senses were thrown outward. But whoever had shot Kirana was good. Whoever this was... they knew how to hunt Jedi. This was a trap. Luke briefly wondered if those terrorists threats had even been real.

"Kirana, you need to stand. We have to go." He grabbed her arm and hauled the dizzying woman to her feet. Kirana stumbled into him, her hands clutching his tunic, her fair face turning a sickly pale.

"I don't feel good." She murmured.

Luke knew it. She was growing more and more limp in his grasp despite her efforts to stave off the concoction.

"We're straggling banthas in a nexu nest. C'mon." Luke urged her to walk, holding her up with one arm while he wielded his lightsaber with the other. Getting back to the drainage pipe Luke tried to help Kirana in. But she had gone limp.

"Kirana? Kirana?" Luke bit his lip. His friend was barely conscious anymore. Her control had slipped completely.

And then he sensed it. Luke turned as fast as he could with the woman still on his arm. His lightsaber sliced away a tiny projectile. And standing on the other side of the chamber was a human. Any ugly human too with a face more scarred than Luke had ever seen. Tatooes all over it too.

"What did you do to her?" Luke asked as he gently slipped Kirana to the ground, making sure her back was rested against the wall.

"Just a lil so'thin to get 'er nice and docile."

Luke cringed at the gravelly, disgusting voice. He leveled his lightsaber. "I suggest you leave us before I have to shift my moral compass."

The scarred man smirked.

There it was again, the warning. Luke turned to his left as a humanoid appeared from some secret entrance. A stun bolt zipped at him. Luke slashed it aside. To his right Luke turned and melted away another dart. With the Force he suddenly dragged the shooter to his right forward and then threw the man into the other on his left. The two humanoids crashed into a pile odd twisted and broken joints. Luke moved to the scarred pirate now, lightsaber slashing and about to kill.

And then his foot stepped on an object. The unknown thing suddenly burned white hot. Luke tried to move his foot up and away but the searing heat was tearing at his boot, eating into his flesh, his lightsaber fell into the water as Luke tumbled onto his back. The water felt too warm for comfort. The heated thing was burning like fire eating from the inside. He could feel it shimmy around the bones and between veins in his foot. The burning hole moved on into his ankle. Luke grabbed his knee and finally pulled his foot out of the water. He wished he had not.

A thin piece of metal was sticking out of his booted foot. Luke cried out, horror gripped his heart and something churned in his stomach, and then the rod suddenly tore out of his flesh below his knee. Luke dropped his foot and screamed louder, his back arched and his body fell into the water. Again the searing pain burned back into the flesh of his thigh. This time it stayed put. Someone grabbed Luke's tunic and tore him from the water. Luke gasped for breath, his hands gripping the arm that held him. His mind was a pain fogged haze, Luke looked up. A zabrak held him.

"Please..."

With a rough pull the zabrak yanked Luke up to his feet. Luke cried out again, feeling the metal shift with his movement and muscles. Luke gasped again for breath, his heart pounded in his ears, his lungs started to work overtime. Was this what a panic attack felt like? Luke ask distantly as he crumbled against the zabrak.

But it all came to a halt when more pirates filled the chamber, two grabbed Kirana. She was awake, but seemed to have lost all ability to physically function. Only her eyes still moved, her face contorting slightly in horror.

Luke gained enough control over his agony to focus. "You leave her alone! You hear me? Leave her alone!"

The pirates smirked at eachother in amusement to their victim's demands. As if only to provoke Luke, one caressed Kirana's face. Another suckled on her lolling neck. Kirana, being unable to do anything, simply squeezed her eyes and mouth shut.

Luke's wrath quickly grew as hot as the metal that disabled his leg. The chamber began to shake, the man who had put his mouth on her was choking violently before his neck snapped. Many of the stupid pirates panicked, thinking the chamber was going bad. But the zabrak seemed to have caught on.

It took one decisive hit to Luke's leg. The pain of the still hot rod in his leg was terrible beyond comprehension. But the violent pummel was enough that Luke was consumed instantly and sent into the black abyss of unconsciousness.

***

"We.... train- no good...."

Luke strained to hear. But his captors were too far. The collar around his neck was a nuisance, taking away his enhancement abilities along with all his other Force sense. It also did not help that his hands were cuffed and pinned over his head to the wall. His good foot kept him balanced for the past hours.

"Jedi.... new to.... price..."

"I'll work with him."

Luke startled at the sudden clarity of the voices. They were coming.

The rod was still in his leg, it was cold now and it was not coming out even if he did have the Force. The cell Luke found himself in was a narrow rectangular room. No furnishings of any kind besides a bucket. The cell door was opened with a low creak. Luke looked up to the newcomer.

A blueish green Twi'lek stood before him. He was old and as wrinkly as a malnourished hutt. He wore dark layers making him appear like a smuggler or pirate. And there was something incredibly sick behind those dark eyes.

Luke lifted his chin slightly.

The Twi'lek hummed in thought. He crossed his arms, rubbed his lip and looked Luke up and down. Now Luke supposed he knew what a slave might feel like. But a poor slave would not be returning that gaze. Luke assessed his captor in kind.

"You are a pretty little thing." Came the sudden first words between them.

Luke was taken aback. He was expecting some grand threat. Something like the Imperials are coming to collect. A speech about how he'd never get out of here. That he was going to die. Something cruel. Not a creepy compliment.

He thinned his lips and lifted his chin a little more.

The Twi'lek laughed. "Allow me to I introduce myself. My name is Mal Teret. I am in the business of slave trade."

"Trafficking." Luke corrected.

"Call it what you will." Teret said with a wave of his hand. "I have recently decided to expand my merchandise to Jedi."

Luke tilted his head slightly. "You want to enslave Jedi?"

"I definitely want to see how the market goes. Force Sensitives are quite intriguing. They ought to be useful for bounty hunters, pirates, those straggling Imperial remnants and all the work that entails including..." Teret seemed to consider Luke again. "Pleasuring."

Luke felt himself flinch. Teret chuckled at him and came closer.

Luke sucked in a faint breath as Teret took hold of his jaw, turning his head from side to side.

"Yes," Teret nodded. "I'll put you in the pleasure and entertainment column. At least after we've decided if you're any good."

Luke swallowed and tried to shake his hand off. Teret only tightened his grip. His thumb stroked Luke's lower lip in slow, intentional motions. Luke inhaled sharply as the Twi'lek's other hand roamed too freely below his belt.

"What did you do with Kirana?" Luke asked. He was scared of the answer. But he needed a distraction as much as he needed to know what had befallen his friend.

"She's well on her way to the same column. By default really." Teret chuckled.

"Bastard." Luke hissed, spitting on the Twi'lek.

Teret was not deterred as he released Luke's chin to wipe the spittle away. Then he cruel a fist and aimed a punch to Luke's upper groin.

A pained cry escaped Luke's lips, made all the louder by the jostling the hit did to his leg and the metal that shook in his flesh.

Teret chuckled and snapped his fingers. The zabrak from the chamber entered with a cart. Luke felt his breath hitch as he took stock of the items there. Several bottles of liquids and various needles to administer. All were foreign to Luke's knowledge.

Luke liked to fancy himself a strong and unyielding Jedi Knight. But today fear gripped him tight as Teret filled a syringe and the zabrak began to roughly undo Luke's belt.

"Just relax." Teret said in a sing song voice. "Let's see what you're worth."

***

How long was it? A few days? A few weeks? Months? Years?

The cycle did not allow Luke to know. His cell was dark. He considered it morning when Teret or whoever he sent came in with drugs to administer and 'training' to give. The drugs were dulling Luke's senses. Teret knew this. Only a few sessions in he removed the collar because he knew the drugs had taken over. That Luke was helpless and at his disposal.

Luke hated that the collar was gone as much he had despised wearing it. Without it the trainers had full access to his neck. They had every access. He hated it. But the drugs constantly given to him kept Luke from fighting back. They also kept him from really processing what was happening to him.

"You're still quite a fighter." Teret shook his head in amusement. "If you didn't make these events so one sided you might have fun."

Luke raised his tired head to glower. "Go to hell."

"As long as you and your friend get me my money, of course I shall." Teret said jovially while inserting a needle just under Luke's navel.

Luke squeezed his eyes shut. Tried to envision a different scenario all together. Tried to ignore the cold monstrosity in his leg, the frigid air nipping his naked skin. He imagined he was home. That he was in bed with Mara. And between them little baby Ben slept. It was so real... so close... and yet the dream was always abruptly shattered.

***

The only kindness Luke had received was food and water. To keep his healthy, youthful appearance Teret said.
Now Luke had a secondary kindness. A blanket wrapped around him as two disgusting pirates helped him limp out of his cell. Today he was going to be sold off. Luke sighed. Sold off. Like an animal. And used like an animal until he could regain his powers.

A ruckus suddenly erupted further down the corridor. Luke and his guards hurried forward. Luke could hear shouts, many male but one... one was Kirana. He had not seen her since coming to this hellhole.

"Kirana!" Luke shouted for his friend.

"Luke?! Luke!" Came an uncertain, and then pleading answer.

There, now Luke could see. And like the last time his blood boiled. Kirana was in chains. Her clothes were gone and a blanket lay on the ground. She had two guards like Luke and they were playing with her as a cat plays with food.

"Let her be!" Luke shouted.

One of his guards slapped him across the face. In his weakened, drugged state Luke fell to his knees.

Kirana cried out his name and began fighting all the more viciously. She too seemed to be suffering from overdoses. Luke knew Kirana to be an excellent fighter. But they were both hurt and cut off.

"Kirana-" Luke shook his head and tried to go to her. But his guard grabbed him by his hair and made Luke stay on his knees.

"No interrupting, toy." The man hissed.

It was so strange and surreal all of the sudden. Luke had never truly despaired here. His will to survive coupled with the reality altering drugs had kept him from such an abyss. But now... with Kirana right there... his student, his friend. His fault that she was here.

Kirana scratched one of the guards, catching his eye with her broken nails. He screeched in anger. Kirana turned to the other guard.

Luke stiffened. "Kni-!" a big pudgy hand clapped over his mouth and nose.

Kirana never saw it coming. Never saw the man she had scratched grow wickedly angry and draw a knife. She did not know what was happening until it was too late.

Luke screamed through the hand. Tears welled up and rolled down his face. The first time he cried while here in this damned place. Kirana fell, the guards laughed and pointed. He could hear soft sobs from Kirana as blood pooled around her. She craned her neck in search for Luke. She found him. The brightness in her eyes dimmed until they were dark and lifeless, still starring into his own.
Luke squeezed his eyes shut, shaking against the cruel hands that held him still and made him watch.

His friend was dead. It was his fault.

***

The next forty-eight hours had been pure hell. Consumed by the invasive torture he had endured, the cruel drugs wreaking havoc on his body and now Kirana's death... it left Lule hollow.
And then the drugs began to wear off. Some supply misunderstanding led Teret to subdue Luke in the cruel fashion that his wife and son found him in.

Talon and his crew did what they could. Ben was finally able to push his father into a healing trance and sat with him, Luke's head cradled in his son's lap. They ripped through space to get medical help.

***

Luke woke slowly. Bleary to the muted world around him. He was floating. Was this the Force? Was it welcoming him into its eternal embrace? Luke tried to reach out. But there was nothing. This was not the Force. His hand touched something smooth and solid. He reached out his other hand... but his fingers were not there. Luke forced his eyes open. Bubbles blinded him for a moment. And then he saw it. The prison he was trapped in. And his hand gone again. Luke choked on the respirator. He tried to remove it and when it would not come off he crushed it with the Force. The bitter taste of bacta flooded his mouth and rushed into his nose. Luke jerked, hitting his head on the glass prison.

And then the top came up. The wires holding him pulled Luke out. He gasped and coughed as air hit him hard and he wretched the bacta out of his stomach. Desperately Luke grabbed the first hand that touched him. A small, pale hand. He knew that hand and clung to it shamelessly as others gathered to remove him from the restraints.

A hand ran it's way through his hair, Luke turned into the touch, buried his face in the person's stomach, hiding from the world it seemed. And she sheltered him. Let him stay.

"Luke?"

Her voice was sweet. But filled with pain and fear.

"Luke are you all right?" She asked.

All right? Yes. He was all right. He was doing far better than Kirana that was for damned sure. A sob threatened to shake him.

"Kirana?" He asked.

"We're still looking."

Slowly Luke sat up and pulled away, finally looking his wife in the eyes. She had dark circles under worried green irises. Her fair skin was paled and her hair was unkempt and tangled. The search had to have been torture for her.

"It was my fault." Luke said.

Mara frowned. "What-"

"Kirana was killed." Luke said bitterly. "She died and I- I couldn't do anything."

"Let's not talk about that right now." Mara begged, moving closer, holding his hand. "You've been through a great ordeal Luke."

"How did you find me?" Luke asked.

"Tracked a string of traffickers from where you were last sent." Mara explained. "I was afraid-"

Luke suddenly stood. Only for his legs to give out over the weight on his gruesome injuries.

Mara was there to catch him.

He breathed heavily. His hands trembled until he had to clench them to gain some semblance of control.

"I'm so sorry Luke." Mara murmured.

Luke could feel his breathing hitch. "Kirana is gone. It's all my fault. I'm the one who should be sorry."

Mara only shook her head. "None of it was your fault, Luke. You didn't kill her-"

"I might as well have."

"Don't do that to yourself." Mara begged softly. "Don't say these things about yourself. You didn't know, no one could've known what was going to happen. If Kirana was here she wouldn't want this for you."

Luke thinned his lip and fixed Mara with a dark, hurting glare. "But she's not here is she. It's just me."

***

To an outsider all was well. To those who did not know Luke Skywalker as anything but his title it all seemed normal. The nature of Luke's disappearance and rescue were kept under wraps and Leia spun it into an elaborate tale of undercover missions, of Luke's harrowing injuries and the unfortunate loss of a Jedi.

Kirana's memorial was beautiful. The Jedi from far and wide came to mourn her passing together on Yavin 4.

Mara held Luke's arm. Still he needed help to stand, to walk. Physical healing was coming slow. The psychological healing however... that was so very different. Mara wished she had kept Mal Teret alive just a little longer. A little more suffering for what he had done to her beloved and their family.

Luke would not sleep in bed with her. A violent nightmare had caused Luke to strike Mara hard when she touched his shoulder to wake him up. A faint bruise had resulted. She still tried to welcome him back to bed but Luke always refused.

He shied away from other touches too. It seemed only Ben really got to be near his father. And that was for his benefit rather than Luke's.

It was so messy, but Mara, Leia and Han eventually convinced Luke to get professional help. Maybe one day he would be okay. Not normal, not like he was before Mal Teret's dehumanizing treatment and Kirana Ti's cruel murder. That was an unhealthy, romanticized recovery fantasy Mara and the others did not indulge in.

But maybe one day he would be okay.