Staring out at the Imperial Center, Palpatine simmered. Empire Day was coming, and he knew that it was cause to be, if not happy, at least satisfied. But he wasn't. It had been five years since he had recruited Lord Vader, but still his apprentice brooded over the deaths of his wife and his unborn child.
It was pathetic. By now, Vader should have gotten over it, added it to the list of injustices that would bring him power in the Dark Side. But, no, Vader actually seemed to feel responsible. For the first time in his life, Palpatine sympathized with a Jedi. Teaching Anakin must have been a nightmare.
He sighed. It was time to do something about this. Or at least check how deep the streak ran. He called his apprentice up to his chamber and summoned the young woman. Short, with long, curly brown hair, she looked a lot like Padme. The appearance was held together by the way she held her round belly.
Palpatine sneered at her. She was perfect. The perfect test for his conflicted apprentice.
Vader walked into his master's private quarters, fuming. He had been on an important mission, but his master had insisted that he come for some test or another. Lost in thought, he almost tripped as he spotted his wife.
Taking a closer look, he realized that it wasn't her at all, but another pregnant woman. He slumped slightly in disappointment and continued his march towards his master's throne.
"Yes, Master?" he asked.
"Ah, my apprentice, I have another test for you, my friend." The Emperor's chilling tones were enough to make the young woman start to cry.
Vader glanced over his shoulder at her. "Why is there a woman in your quarters?" he asked bluntly.
"It is all a part of your test, my apprentice. Kill her." He ordered coldly.
Vader turned to stare at her. She was crying even harder now and trying to protect her swollen belly.
"Kill her. Choke the life out of her." Palpatine snarled.
She stared helplessly at Vader, wide brown eyes frightened. He stared back at her, dumbstruck. Kill her? I can't kill her! It would be too much like killing Padme all over again! I can't do that!
"Kill her, or I will. And I assure you that she would not go peacefully."
The woman looked away from Vader's mask, tears of fear glistening on her cheeks. Vader's heart clenched, but he knew it would be better for him to end her life than to let his master torture her before he did.
Summoning the Force, he lifted her off the ground and started to choke her. Much to his horror, the woman's eyes snapped back to his mask and there was pleading there.
"Please! Don't! Even you can't kill an innocent baby, can you? At least let my child be born!"
Vader felt himself start to shake and he dropped the woman. She crumpled to the floor and Vader could see her shoulders shaking as she cried. He turned to his master and shook his head. He couldn't find the words he would need to try to explain his feelings, but his master wouldn't care about them anyway.
The Emperor didn't speak, just lifted the woman off the ground with Force lightning. Vader stared in horror as she twisted in the air, screaming, but still trying to hide her belly from harm.
"Look at that, Lord Vader. Look how she protects her baby, even at the cost of her life. Isn't it sad that not all parents love their families like that? Just think what the galaxy would be like if there were more parents like this."
Vader spun to glare at his master, but the screams from behind him sent him flying back to the woman, dragging her out of the murderous blue energy. They tumbled to the floor together and Vader carefully prevented himself from falling on her. Instead he crouched over her, protecting her from further harm.
"What's happening?" she asked. He just shook his head. This was not the time for that kind of explanation.
"Just stay down until I say to run, do you understand?"
She nodded in terror. Vader stood back up and turned to face his master.
"I hate you."
The Emperor gave a false, fatherly smile, "I know you do."
"I hate you more than all the old Jedi put together. Obi-Wan too."
"I'm sure you do."
"I should kill you. I could kill you."
"Could you? You're not so strong anymore, my friend." The Emperor feigned curiosity.
"I could. I will." Vader snarled. It wasn't a great idea, but it was the best distraction he could think of. He was fairly sure he couldn't win. It might even kill him, but the woman could get away. He hoped.
He drew his lightsaber and watched as the Emperor followed suit. Then he attacked. There was no pattern to his attack, just a flying leap and then swipes fueled by his anger and hurt.
The Emperor was easily beating his apprentice when Vader called over his shoulder to the woman to run. The Emperor took advantage of his apprentice's momentary distraction to flip the saber out of his hand.
He ignored the woman as she ran out of the room as fast as she could. Instead, he pushed his apprentice down to the floor.
"I was afraid of this. You haven't progressed at all. She was just another woman. Why didn't you just kill her? It would have been simpler."
"It would have been wrong." Vader said. He knew that it wasn't an especially valid response, but it was his reason.
"And all the other acts you've committed while being a Sith aren't? Not even killing your own wife?"
"I didn't say that."
The Emperor sighed, "Leave, Apprentice, and meditate on this." He let Vader stand again.
"Yes, Master." Vader left, seething.