Author's Note: First Star Wars fic…please no flames!
Disclaimer: Don't own anything.
Summary: A certain ghost haunts the Executor.
The atmosphere on the Executor seem to have an unusual ominous affect on everyone. Working for the second most powerful man in the galaxy was bad enough, but something was different. There had been strange occurrences that had been happening around the Star Destroyer. Machines had been malfunctioning for unexplained reasons and there had been rumors saying that the other officers had been seeing something or someone lurking around the ship.
Admiral Piett hadn't seen this thing whatever it was, but he hadn't forgotten the look on one of the officer's face when he had asked him to go run an errand.
The young man went to fulfill his duty and by the time he came back, his face was white as snow. His eyes were filled with fear and sweat poured down his face. The young man's heart was racing as he looked at Admiral Piett. "What's wrong?" he asked, fearing that the young man had gotten on Lord Vader's bad side along the way. The youth tried to speak but words wouldn't come out. His lower lip trembled. "Th-th-there it is! I see it!" He pointed at the window were Lord Vader had been staring at after the Millenium Falcon had escaped. The other officers that were working heard the youth's shouts and turned to where he was pointing.
"Look it's her! It's her!" "She's coming this way!," they all shouted. In an attempt to get things back in order, Piett tried his best to calm everyone down. "Gentlemen, I don't see anything. Whatever this thing is, it is not helping us crush the Rebellion. Now, I know that were all tired, but we can't let something like this get to our heads. Let's get things back in order and remember, there is no such thing as ghosts." With that, he turned on his heel and left the others to go back to work.
The other officers were whispering amongst themselves about what they had just saw. "I can't believe it. The rumors are true" a young man of 25 said. The one to his right nodded in agreement. "I've seen her about 4 times. First time, was when I had to go report to Lord Vader, the second time was when I was heading to the fresher, the other two times was when our ship was under attack. I never said anything because I was everyone would think I was crazy."
The one the left cracked his knuckles. "I wonder who she is."
"Maybe she's one of the wives from the Rebellion, and she's here to haunt our ship for what we did to her husband." the 25 year old offered.
"Could be. But whatever she is, let's hope Lord Vader doesn't find out that we are scared of this ghost that is lurking in the hallways." With that, everyone went back to work, unaware that the ghost was hovering over them. She was short, with brown hair, and brown eyes. Her face had a sad expression, and her eyes looked red, as if she had been crying before she died. It wasn't her intention to harm the Imperial officers. All she wanted was to make her presence known to a certain Sith lord…
Darth Vader had been spending more times in his chambers as usual. After the battle that he had with Luke on Bespin, a lot was on his mind. He had offered his son ultimate power! To rule the galaxy as father and son! Yet, the boy refused. Though he was hoping that the boy would consider his offer, he couldn't help but be amazed by his son. Vader remembered when he was offered the same power decades ago. His son was different. He was everything that he never was, he was good, perfect, and…Stop, he told himself. There's no point in thinking foolish things like this. Don't forget who you are, who you serve, and what needs to be done.
Vader was aware of the hysteria that had been going on for quite some time. He believed that everyone was just making excuses. He didn't believe although sometimes, when he was alone, he wished that he could still see her. It had been a little over 20 years since she died. In the beginning, his master encouraged him to forget everything about her. She was from a different life, and he had to leave it all behind, including her. He could still see her smile, and how beautiful she looked on their wedding day. He always felt like he was in the presence of an angel whenever he was around her. She was his angel, the light of his life, and with her death, the light died with her.
He straitened up, and headed outside his quarters to keep his mind off a few things. As he moved passed some officers, he thought he heard someone whispering. "Ani…Ani…" He stopped in his tracks. He hated that name. It was a name for a foolish man that was long dead. He died on the banks of Mustafar, and all that was left was this dark lord who couldn't help but wonder why the sound of the voice sent a chill through his body.
He shook his head and headed back to the bridge. He could hear the officers still whispering about the ghost that they had saw, and as he looked out the window, he heard the voice again. She sounded like she was crying. "Ani…please…Ani don't you remember me? Don't turn our son over to the Emperor. Please. You promised that you would protect him!"
His body froze. He knew the voice. He could feel her all around the shuttle event though she was dead. "Padme…don't do this to me. I have no choice. I must obey my master."
"Ani please!"
"Stop! Ani's dead Padme.
"No! I know that he's in there somewhere. Our son believes it too! I know he does!
"Then he's just as foolish as you are, Padme. There's no point in you haunting me anymore."
With that, their conversation was over.
Later that night, Vader retired to his quarters. Padme's voice was still ringing in his head. He couldn't believe how even in death, she still believed that there was good in him. Her words meant nothing to him, for he was too lost to achieve any form of salvation.
He decided to a little bit of meditating before retiring. It was no use. He couldn't get her out of his mind; it was just like the way it was during his first year as Palpatine's apprentice. During that time, he had tried to not focus on his former life, but nothing worked. She kept resurfacing in his mind so he stopped meditating.
Suddenly, he heard her crying again. He stood up.
"I thought I told you to leave." he said without using his mind.
Then, unexpectedly, Padme showed herself.
She still looked the same after so many years. Her pregnant belly was gone, her hair was long, her eyes still chocolate brown, and her gown was blue like the sea.
Vader just stood their; amazed how even in death she was still beautiful. Luke had inherited his mother's height and small frame. If only they had another child that bore Padme's features…
"Ani…"
"Stop. Don't address me with that name."
She frowned. So many things had changed…
"Why now Padme? Why have you come to torment me even more?"
"I've always been around. You just never cared to listen. You've allowed the Dark Side to blind you from the things that you used to hold dear. Now, I ask, no I beg of you, don't put our son through this. If you still care for me, you will let this go."
She makes it sound so easy. He thought. If only it really was…
"You are asking the impossible."
"No, I'm asking you to be a father to our son."
He turned away from Padme. Her sentence seemed to stab him in the heart.
Father. The word echoed in his mind. He remembered how after his battle with Luke on Bespin he had reached out to his son while he was pursing the Falcon. Oddly enough, it felt, good, for his son to use that word at him. It made him think about when Padme revealed her pregnancy decades ago. He had never been so happy in his whole life. A baby; something that he and Padme had created together out of their love. He remembered how ecstatic he was about the arrival of their child, and how much he wanted to give his child everything that he never had!
Padme moved closer to him. Had she finally gotten through to him?
"Anakin, nothing is going to change what you have done. You may not be able to right the wrongs, but you can do this. Break free from the chains that have held you down for so long, and give our son a chance to be free from the Dark Side."
Padme was right. He could follow Luke instead. Together, maybe they could set things right, and maybe save the galaxy together. Things would be set right, and the Empire would fall and…
Suddenly, it was as if the atmosphere in the room was beginning to change. Something that had been growing inside Vader was beginning to fade away into the darkness of his soul. What Padme was saying was hopelessly naïve. She was right about one thing: there was nothing that was going to change what he had done, and there was nothing that was going to stop him from obeying his master.
He turned and looked at her. "You are wasting your time Padme. Put away these foolish ideas. It is too late to make things right."
Her face filled with horror and despair. Everything that she had told him had all been done in vain. The man that she had married really was gone forever, and all that was left was the darkness of his soul. She bowed her head in silence. How stupid of me to think that I could come back from the dead to change things.
She slowly backed away from him, and before she faded away, Vader had one more thing to ask.
"When will I see you again?"
Tears fell from her eyes. "When your mission is complete." Then, she was gone, and for the first time in many years, Vader felt tears roll down his cheeks for he had been touched by an angel.