Light and Darkness

Reunions

Lita was about to go forward only to be held back by a pair of gloved hands on her shoulders.

"D3PO," Lita cried.

"Mistress Lita," D3PO exclaimed happily.

"The droid you requested, Lord Vader," said the commander.

"Good work, Commander. Now leave us," Vader commanded.

The men saluted and left the room; the doors closed behind the Protocol and Lita heard the lock engaged. Vader then let go of Lita's shoulders and the girl ran forward and wrapped her arms around the Protocol.

"3PO, what happened?" she asked her droid friend.

"Well after you ran back. I followed back hoping to find you. But I ended up walking into this ship, when these Stormtroopers found me," D3PO explained.

Lita frowned confused, even though she already knew this from when the captain told them, she still didn't know how anyone, especially a droid, could just walked into a space ship without realizing it.

"This is an interesting turn of events," Vader boomed.

Fearing for what could happen to the droid, Lita moved and stood protectively in front of the Protocol. "Hold on, Lord Vader," she said with her arms cross, "You say you're my father and that you want to train me. But right now you've given me no reason on why I should trust you. If you want me to, then don't harm the droid."

Vader had to laugh at his daughter's statement; ignoring how the sound tore at his throat. "Calm down, my daughter. I will not cause any permanent harm to the droid," Vader told her. "However, if he is to remain with you, he will accept a restraining bolt."

"What?" D3PO exclaimed.

"What, why? Lita demanded.

"I do not want you to make any attempts to escape my custody," Vader told the girl. "That includes your droid helping you with any plans."

"Wouldn't escape attempts be more for Astrotech droids? I know they can also pilot ships and do repairing jobs," the girl commented.

"That is correct, but I am not taking any chances and even protocol droids can assist with escape attempts in their own ways," Vader explained. He then turned to the white protocol and said, "You have two options, droid; accept a restraining bolt or I will have you dropped off at the nearest system."

"Of...of course, sir," D3PO stuttered.

"Good," Vader strode towards the protocol, but paused when his daughter didn't move, "The droid has agreed, young one."

"Deethreepio needs to learn to be more specific about what you're going to do to him before he agrees to anything," Lita declared, "And I'm not letting you do anything to him like what you did to Rori without knowing what it will do. What will the restraining bolt do to him?"

Truly a perceptive child, Vader thought with renewed pride. "It will ensure the droid's obedience and that it does not get into any trouble. If it attempts to enter any restricted areas of this ship, the restraining bolt will freeze all of the droid's motor functions and alert me."

"Will it hurt him?" Lita asked quietly.

"It will not cause permanent damage, but the droid may suffer temporary damage if it resists the restraining bolt. If it ignores the warnings the restraining bolt transmits to it, the droid will be forced to shutdown. The droid will require my personal access code to be reactivated."

D3PO was feeling nervous as he was listening to all of this and Lita flinched herself then looked behind her, "Did you hear all that, Deethreepio?"

"Yes, I did, Mistress Lita," the protocol answered.

"And please don't do anything else that could get you into more trouble," Lita lectured, and added, "I know you didn't mean to get captured, but you should've just stayed where you were."

"I was given orders to help watch over you and keep you safe, no matter what," D3PO stated.

Lita smiled and giggled a little, "Somehow I knew that would be your answer." She then wrapped her arms around the protocol droid and hugged him tightly. "And thanks," she said softly.

Coming close, Vader gripped the girl firmly by the arm and pulled her up and out of the way without protest.

Standing next to the Protocol droid, Vader pulled out a restraining bolt from one of the pouches of his belt and took out a multitool from another compartment. The droid didn't retreat, but he was giving the Sith Lord a dirty look.

Lita took a step forward and asked with curiosity, "You keep restraining bolts on you too?"

"Yes, it is good to always carry useful items with you," Vader said simply, "Because you don't know when you'll need them."

"That's true," Lita said quietly, still feeling wary about the Sith.

Vader quickly attached the device onto the Protocol's body; just right onto his right chestplate. He checked to make sure the restraining bolt was secure and working properly before returning the multitool to the pouch..

Vader then looked over at his daughter, who was still trying to take in everything she was told and still had many questions.

"Perhaps you need more time to think," Vader suggested.

"Ye...Yeah perhaps. It's been a long day and I'm feeling tired," Lita said.

"I will take you to your quarters. You will be please to know your nexu is waiting for you," Vader told her.

Lita was still skittish around Vader, but also wanting to be with Rori, she followed behind with D3PO. Vader could feel her nervousness, as they walked to her room.

When they got to her room, as soon as the door open, Rori bounded towards Lita, then was scooped into her mistress's arms.  But then the cub hissed when she saw the Sith Lord.

Vader, ignoring the nexu cub, said to the girl, "This is your chamber. I will come to retrieve you tomorrow." Then he turned and exited the room.