To Surpass Her
Summary: She was a clone Palpatine had created in order to extract information about the Delegation of 2,000 but unlike the other clones, she escaped. Now she's trapped in the shadowy memories of Padmé Amidala, will she fall like the original, or will she surpass her?
Dawn Escapes
"Get up Clone 1138, get up!" the Stormtrooper snarled at her, gripping her upper arm and pulling her up.
This was her life, day in and day out, torture, questions, fire knives, electro-jabbers, interrogator droids, starvation, sleep deprivation, all for information from memories that weren't hers.
She was cold, so cold, she just wanted to feel warmth, her life was short as they'd accelerated her growth, poured information into her brain about "Senator Amidala", all sorts of information about her and her dead husband Anakin Skywalker, as soon as that stopped the torture began.
They placed her on top of the apparatus, the sparks burning her skin, pain was everywhere, agony filled her entire body.
She let out a scream, Motti chuckled with delight. She hated him, she wanted him dead, more than anything in her short existence.
The interrogator, a man named Conan Antonio Motti watched in glee as he plunged the knife into her leg.
"Tell us "Senator", who are your fellow conspirators?" he demanded.
"I am not Senator Amidala!" she snarled at him, groaning in pain.
He began to beat her with a shock prod, shocking her repeatedly. She fell to the ground, moaning.
I just want to be free. Just for a little while, how many times have they cloned her, and made her endure this, she died so young…I just want to live.
Her eyes fell on something, a wire, a long, loose wire; she didn't need to be told what she should do with it.
"Amidala" suddenly grabbed hold of the loose wire protruding from the droid and wrapped it around Conan's neck, she pulled as hard as she could, she watched as he clawed at the wire, "I'm not Senator Amidala, she'd never do something like this!"
She kept pulling until she saw her captor's eyes bulge and he stopped struggled, stopped breathing. She let his body drop to the floor.
I have to escape, I have to be free! No matter what!
She dropped to the floor, playing dead as two members of the Red Guard rushed in. She lurched to her feet, going for the blaster on one guard's belt.
She grabbed it and fired, hitting one of them in the heart. He dropped dead.
She rushed the other, but not before grabbing the double vibroblade off the fallen guard. She swung it, attacking him. The original had been trained in weaponry, in all sorts of forms, so she could fight. The original had known some martial arts, including Echani.
She swung her blade to the right, he blocked it and struck back, she kicked him across the face, he backed up slightly, she elbowed him and swung right to left, he blocked a high blow and she swung toward his midsection. He jumped back.
She blocked a blow with the pommel of the blade and thrust forward, slamming the blade through his stomach.
"Please tell me you bastards have money," she murmured under her breath, they did have a few Imperial Credit chips on them, she was relieved, she wouldn't be completely destitute, she could start her new life somewhere, anywhere but there.
She quickly took off their armor and put it on, wrapping the bright red cape around her shoulders, placing the helmet over her head. She dragged the bodies inside the interrogation cell and locked the door behind them. She walked out the front door and headed towards the imperial shuttles at the docks.
She fired up the engines and took off, hoping no one would notice the missing Moff or his guards.
She had escaped the facility, but she was far from free, the Empire would be after her, after all, the Emperor wanted information from her, and no doubt he didn't want Darth Vader to get her. Having his "wife" back would only motivate Vader to kill Palpatine and take his throne; she would be hunted wherever she went. She knew that, but where would she go? She knew she wanted answers, so she'd go to Naboo, very quickly, she wouldn't stay there, no doubt the Emperor would be looking for her, but she wanted answers and she wanted them now.
The clone kept the helmet over her face, Padmé Amidala was well known on her own planet and seeing her face again would no doubt shock everyone. She had arrived without fanfare and searched for the tombs of Naboo's royal family, having all the memories of the original did help, but she hated being haunted by a ghost.
She made her way to the cemetery and opened the sarcophagus, she peered inside. Interred inside was indeed Padmé Amidala, the clone reached out and slowly reached inside and pried the japor pendant out of the hands of the corpse.
"I don't know why I feel I must have this, but I'm keeping it," she told the body. It wasn't like the late Senator could hear her.
She replaced the cover and left the building, slipping the pendant into a pocket.
Why am I keeping this? I'm not Padmé Amidala. I am a shell, just a broken copy of her, and what am I to do? Go back to "Darth Vader"? Play beautiful wife and politician? That's not my life; I want my own life, not hers.
Her next place to visit, the late Senator's home, she was able to sneak past the guards, knowing their routs and enter the villa quietly, she found the original's room and searched a drawer, inside it, she found a Jedi cloak. She took it, the Imperial Guard armor would be too conspicuous in some places, this would do for now.
Her eyes were drawn to the statue of Shiraya, Naboo's Moon Goddess. She took it and tucked I into a large bag, she left the residence just as she found it.
She headed towards the space port and paid for travel offplanet, she was glad to be out of there.
"Where are you headed?" the old space pilot asked.
"Take me to Bespin," she replied.
"Your name Miss?"
"My name…." the clone hesitated, what should she say to him.
"Come on, your name," the old pilot pressed her.
"It's Juno," she replied, liking the sound of that name, "Juno Eclipse."
She arrived at Bespin where she settled down, found a house and lived there. She was going to be happy, her new life as Juno Eclipse was just beginning, she would not live in Padmé Amidala's shadow.
She took up sword play, wanting to learn more about how to use the double vibroblade she'd stolen, she was an astute learner, it came easily to her and she'd become quite skilled. She also took up piloting, hoping that she could get a good job somewhere, unfortunately, the well paying jobs were for Imperial Pilots at the Imperial Academy and she wasn't going anywhere near the Empire if she could help it.
Her life had settled down to some normalcy, except for the dreams, she hated her dreams, they were always about war, suffering and death and she'd often wake up screaming or crying.
She took to drinking, to numb the pain, she hated the memories that she shouldn't have, she wished she could forget them, but both Padmé Amidala and Anakin Skwyalker haunted her like the ghosts they were, she'd searched the Imperial records, they were both listed as deceased and she knew that Anakin Skywalker was Darth Vader, she didn't love him, she didn't understand how her original could.
She hoped she'd never meet Vader in person, he would probably kill her or force her to "marry" him, she would never do such a thing, he was a monster, Padmé was insane to love him, she promised herself she never would, after all, she was herself and no one else. She wouldn't pretend to be a dead woman. Her life was her own and it was going to stay that way.
One day Juno heard the rumor that an Imperial Transport Shuttle had been stolen. It was apparently up for grabs, and she felt she could use a new ship.
Juno hated the Empire, it was beyond oppressive and it was so hard to earn money, she had made the decision to become a smuggler, and why not? They earned more money than most beings did in their entire life if the job was right.
She approached the merchant, "How much do you want for her?"
"A good ship for 10,000 Imperial Credits!" the shop owner shouted.
"I'll take it!" Juno replied, handing him the Credit chip. He smiled.
"Congratulations, the ship is yours!" he glanced over at her. "What will you you call her?"
"The Rogue Shadow," Juno replied.
"A good name for a ship," he nodded, he turned away and went back to his work.
She headed to a nearby tapcafé, to celebrate her purchase.
Juno bought herself a drink.
"Excuse me ma'am, are you a pilot?" a voice asked.
"Yes," she replied. "Why do you ask?"
"I would like you to transport me and my wife to Kashyyk," Jedi Kento Marek told her.
"Very well, it'll cost you 5,000 Imperial Credits, and that's a lot less than what other people charge."
"You've got a deal, Kento Marek replied. He paid her.
She took them to Kashyyk and returned without incident. Juno decided a small celebration was in order. She headed to the tapcafé.
She could hear the Imperial Officers talking amongst themselves.
"I heard Lord Vader took down a Jedi on Murkana," he laughed. "Good riddance, they were traitors who tried to murder the Emperor."
"I agree, Lord Vader is protecting us from them, to think they had so much power, now they're scampering into hiding like rats!"
Juno had the hood up over her face, she'd put it up when she'd seen them inside.
The Imperial Officers looked at her suspiciously. "Why are you listening to conversations that don't concern you?" the Officer demanded.
They made their way over to Juno, she crossed her arms.
"Speak up woman!" the Officer ordered.
"You and your group have nothing to fear from me. Why don't you return to your table and enjoy what's left of the evening?" Juno suggested.
The Officer pulled out a blaster, "Don't you know that when an Imperial Officer asks you a question, you better give a direct answer?" He pointed his weapon at her.
Juno stood to her feet. "I'll ask a second time—return to your table and you won't be harmed."
"Wha—?" the Officer snarled, "I'll teach you to—"
Juno reached into her cloak and removed the double vibroblade, she unsheathed it with a loud shik sound and slashed the man's midsection all in one fluid motion.
"Let me pass and I'll let you live!" she hissed at them.
"Get her!" the other Officer shouted.
She stabbed him through the stomach. A squad of Stormtroopers entered the tapcafé.
"Stop or I'll—!" the trooper began, but she cut him with the blade through is forehead.
She whirld around, slashing another Officer's throat as she blocked a Stormtrooper's blaster shot with the blade.
Rapidly, Juno tore open a Stormtrooper's armor, slashing him in the side, even as she slit another's throat with the other blade. The squad of Stormtroopers lay dead at her feet.
She turned and left, it was time to lay low for awhile, she'd drawn too much attention to herself already. She left even as she saw another squad of Stormtroopers run towards the tapcafé.
Lord Vader looked over at cadet Piett as the young man approached him.
"Lord Vader, it's been brought to my attention that the Emperor is ordering an investigation into the suspicious death of Moff Motti."
"Why does this concern me Cadet?" Vader asked, uninterested.
"Because the Emperor is not involving you Milord," Piett explained. "As his enforcer, you usually head these investigations."
"Interesting that he would not involve me, thank you for this information Cadet Piett, I shall see to it that you will work under me from now on."
"Thank you, Lord Vader," Piett replied. He bowed and left.
My Master is hiding something from me, but what is it? Vader wondered. The Emperor had his share of secrets, but something was going on.
He had Piett accompany him on his Star Destroyer the Exactor. They arrived at the planet Vjunn, where the Imperial Base was. Vader immediately noticed that one of the shuttles was missing.
A prisoner escaped, they must be important.
Vader headed inside, he disembarked and headed inside.
A senior Officer approached him. "Lord Vader! You honor us with your presence—"
"Dispense with the pleasantries, Commander," Lord Vader snapped. "A prisoner escaped. Give me their identity and I'll pursue them."
"I can't Lord Vader, I'm under strict orders from the Emperor himself, the identity of the prisoner is known only to him."
"Then I have no further use for you, Commander!" Vader held out his fist, using the Force to choke him.
The man grasped at the invisible hands crushing his neck and he hit the permacrete dead.
"Have you found any information on this prisoner, Piett?" Vader glanced over at him.
"Unfortunately, Lord Vader, the security holos have all been erased and the dead bodies have been removed," Piett replied. "They're being very thorough hiding the identity of this prisoner. It's like they don't want you to find them."
"You're right; they don't want me to find them, which makes me want to know why."
"Lord Vader," Commander Appo approached him. "We took a sample of blood found in an interrogation cell. We have the results."
Vader glanced down at the datapad.
Genetic Code Match: Padmé Amidala.
Piett and Appo saw the Sith Lord clench his fist, he looked up at them, "This is highly secretive information, no one is to know that I have information about this, especially not the Emperor."
"Milord, isn't she dead? I watched her funeral on the HoloNet. The entire galaxy did," Piett inquired.
"Yes Officer Piett," he replied, "We all watched her funeral."
He made his way back to his ship, a thousand thoughts running through his mind.
Why would he clone her? What's the point? The Delegation of 2,000? It would be the only reason, he would never give her back to me, besides, it wouldn't be the same, it wouldn't really be her. Clones are never the same as the original, I know that from experience. I will find her. I have to, I don't care if it's not her. I have to find her.
